A Pennsylvania woman has pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and abuse of a corpse after killing a homeowner, dismembering him with a chainsaw, and burning his remains in a backyard fire pit.
Marisa Jean Rodriguez, 37, admitted in court last week to the 2023 slaying of 66-year-old Michael Maisner of Summit Township. Prosecutors originally charged her with first-degree murder, but the charge was reduced under a plea deal with the Erie County District Attorney’s Office. Rodriguez entered a plea of “guilty — mentally ill” to multiple felonies, including murder, theft, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, tampering with evidence, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
The chilling case began on April 12, 2023, when Maisner’s family reported him missing after not hearing from him for two weeks. Relatives discovered Rodriguez living in the attic of his home, where she had allegedly stayed for months. When investigators returned the next day, they uncovered disturbing evidence inside the house: missing sections of carpet, traces of human tissue, bleach-stained clothing, and blood spatter.
In the backyard fire pit, police found charred human remains, bone fragments, and personal items later identified as belonging to Maisner. DNA testing confirmed the remains were his.
Authorities say Rodriguez used Maisner’s money to purchase a chainsaw, which she admitted to using to cut up his body. Court records also show she conducted a series of incriminating internet searches, including: “how long does it take to burn a dead body,” “if you shoot someone in the head they die instantly,” and “cutting a dead body with a chain saw.”
According to investigators, Rodriguez shot Maisner in the back of the head and torso with a .357 revolver before attempting to dispose of his body. Digital evidence allegedly included photos and videos showing Maisner’s body, Rodriguez holding his debit card PIN, and images of the revolver itself.
After the killing, Rodriguez fled in Maisner’s Cadillac STX, driving it about 40 miles to his home in New York. Police arrested her the following day on car theft charges before extraditing her back to Pennsylvania to face murder charges.
Maisner’s family described him as a laid-back man looking forward to hip replacement surgery so he could return to golfing and motorcycle riding. His nephew, Adam Maisner, told Erie News Now that his uncle had allowed Rodriguez to stay in his home to help around the house, an act of kindness that ended in tragedy.
Initially, a judge ruled Rodriguez mentally incompetent to stand trial due to her schizophrenia diagnosis, but in September 2024, she was deemed fit to participate in her defense. Her behavior in custody included rambling letters to her attorney and bizarre courtroom outbursts, where she blurted out confessions such as “Well, I’m guilty” and “Then I cut him up.”
Rodriguez faces a possible life sentence. She is scheduled for sentencing on October 13.
