Man who killed stepdaughter, had sex with her corpse, won’t allow victim’s mother to divorce him

A Pennsylvania man convicted of killing his stepdaughter and having sex with her corpse is challenging the terms of a divorce from her mother.

Gregory Graf, 55, is serving life in prison for shooting Jessica Padgett, 33, in the back of the head and filming the necrophilic act that followed. On Monday, the 55-year-old told a court that he never signed off on terms that would give him 25 percent of the assets shared with his wife, Danielle Bittner, in their divorce.

This revelation came as a shock to Graf’s lawyer, Jack McMahon, who told The Morning Call that his client agreed to the settlement in February. Graf, however, alleged that his attorney gave him inaccurate information and left him in the dark.

“I don’t know what is going on. I’m not a legal person.”

A jury found Graf guilty of first-degree murder in and immediately sentenced him to life in prison in November 2015. In addition to the murder and sexual assault, a court heard how Graf hid the mom of three’s body, leading to a five-day search. McMahon unsuccessfully argued that “something snapped” in Graf and that the shooting wasn’t premeditated.

Bittner’s attorney, Amy Kruzel, told a judge that Graf refuses to sign off on terms in February’s divorce decree that would benefit him. The Morning Call reported that the convicted murderer stood to receive $130,000 from two mutual funds and 25 percent of proceeds from the sale of an Edgewater, Florida, home. Additionally, all money earned from the sale of his guns, mounted animal heads, and hunting equipment would go to him.

“I don’t know how you can have a divorce settlement without all the proper information,” Graf commented. “I just don’t understand that.”

Judge Samuel Murray ultimately sided with Bittner, ruling that the slain woman’s mother could make financial decisions on Graf’s behalf.

[Featured Image: Northampton County Jail]