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By Edward Lewis elewis@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
Edward Lewis on Facebook   |   @TLEdLewis on Twitter

PLAINS TWP. – Two county inmates threatened to kill one another after they were charged Monday in the April beating death of Donald Skiff, whose decomposed body was recovered in woods in Jenkins Township last week.

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Elvis Riccardi faces homicide and robbery charges.

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Michael Simonson, 32, of Plains Township, and Elvis Aaron Riccardi, 31, of Wilkes-Barre, traded words, calling the other a “rat” after they appeared before District Judge Diana Malast.

“You’re dead, bro. Wait,” a shackled Simonson said to Riccardi.

Riccardi responded, saying, “(Expletive) him, I’ll kill him.”

Authorities allege Simonson and Riccardi took turns beating Skiff, 34, of Plymouth, as the three men drove from Shickshinny to Jenkins Township on April 27. Arrest records indicate each blamed the other for Skiff’s death, which was ruled a homicide after an autopsy on Friday.

Skiff’s body was found by investigators on Thursday in the woods about 30 yards off Suscon Road.

Luzerne County District Attorney Jacqueline Musto Carroll said Skiff was fishing in Shickshinny and was confronted by Simonson and Riccardi. Skiff was driving the two men when they started assaulting him, Musto Carroll said.

“We had a person who was out fishing with friends; he came out of the woods and was confronted by these two individuals,” Musto Carroll said. “They ended up killing him.”

Musto Carroll said Simonson and Riccardi used Skiff’s bank card in a series of attempts to withdraw money from a credit union from 11:58 p.m. April 27 to 1:13 a.m. April 28.

“They did take his truck,” Musto Carroll said. “He was with them in the truck. They took turns driving the truck, taking him to the ATM to find out what his pass code was to use the ATM. All told, they received $300.”

Investigators allege in arrest records that Simonson and Riccardi attempted to withdraw $2,100 from Skiff’s account but were denied by the credit union.

According to arrest reports, after they left Skiff to die in the woods, Riccardi told investigators, Simonson torched Skiff’s truck in an area known as the Plymouth Flats in Plymouth Township.

Riccardi told his family and friends, arrest records say, that he was involved in the disappearance of Skiff because he claimed Skiff was touching his leg.

“No one touches me, puts their hand on my leg. God put me on this Earth for women,” Riccardi allegedly told a friend on May 1, according to arrest records.

Simonson led investigators to Skiff’s body after a preliminary hearing in Central Court on unrelated charges last Thursday.

“He did take investigators to the scene where the body was recovered,” Musto Carroll said.

Arrest records indicate Riccardi also helped investigators in searching for the body on May 18 but couldn’t recall the area where Skiff was left for dead.

Simonson and Riccardi were charged with an open count of criminal homicide, robbery, theft, arson, access device fraud, kidnapping, unlawful restraint and criminal conspiracy.

They were jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility without bail awaiting a hearing June 16 before Malast.

Ed Lewis, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 970-7196.