Son Found Guilty of Mother’s Murder

Lying in general is a bad idea. Lying to a cop is an even worse idea. Chase Boruch, however, not only lied to a cop, but lied about his mother’s death. He was in court on November 15^th when he decided to tell everyone the truth.

According to the Wausau Daily Herald, in opposition to what he had originally told police, Boruch, 25, told jurors that he staged a crash at a local lake so his mother’s death would look like an accident and he could claim the insurance money.

Jurors heard the shocking testimony during the sixth day of his trial for the first-degree homicide charge in the June 6, 2010, death of his mother, Sally Pergolski, 63.

Jurors showed little reaction as Boruch’s story unfolded, while his half-sister, Jamie Pergolski, 45, wiped away tears as he testified that he lied to her about their mother’s death.

Boruch admitted that he was not truthful with police, his family or girlfriend about how his truck ended up in Moraine Lake during that early morning on June 6^th.

Medical experts testified that there was no conclusive evidence to say how Pergolski died, but Boruch said he found Pergolski dead on the floor of her home after she appeared to have choked on a piece of meat.

This was the first time that Boruch publicly said how his mother died.

Boruch told jurors that he was likely high on pain killers when he decided not to call 911 after discovering Pergolski’s body.

“As callous as it may sound now, I saw it as an opportunity to trick the insurance company there was an accident and it would result in a financial gain for me as calling 911 wouldn’t,” Boruch said.

Before her death, Pergolski was not in very good health. She suffered from scoliosis, which is a curving of the spine, and Crohn’s disease, a painful inflammatory bowel ailment. Boruch described his mother as an alcoholic and an abuser of painkillers who frequently talked about committing suicide.

He stated, “She felt destitute. She was really tired with existing. She sort of checked out.”

Back in the spring of 2010, Boruch helped his mother write a will and obtain over $1 million in life and accidental death insurance that named him as the sole beneficiary.

“My mother didn’t expect — desire — to be alive much longer,” Boruch testified. “She was a very brash person. She was brutally honest with me. She told me, ‘One day you’re going to come to the house and find me dead in bed. I’m going to take a whole bottle of Vicodin. Maybe you can convince somebody this was an accident.’”

When Boruch’s attorney, John Voorhees, asked him why he didn’t refer his mother to a mental health specialist or seek other help he responded, “I tried, but not very hard. I didn’t make a very honest effort.”

When Voorhees asked Boruch why he wanted a $250,000 accidental death policy for Pergolski rather than a more affordable $10,000 life insurance policy, he stated, “I didn’t think $10,000 was sufficient. I thought $10,000 would go for a funeral home and that was it. I wanted more.”

Though Pergolski and Boruch did have a rather rocky relationship over the years, they were able to enjoy fishing together.

Boruch told investigators after Pergolski’s death that he and his mother went to Moraine Lake to fish on June 6, 2010. Boruch later revealed a new version of events for that day however. He said he went to Moraine Lake on June 5, 2010, to find a location to grow three marijuana plants that were growing at Pergolski’s home. Boruch said his mother agreed to come with him the next day to go fishing and serve as a lookout in case police or other anglers came by.

Boruch testified that he called Pergolski at 2:18 a.m. the next morning, as was planned, and said that he was on his way to her house. Boruch told jurors that he arrived at her home at about 3:20 a.m. and found Pergolski unresponsive on the floor of her living room with a piece of meat lodged in her throat. He performed CPR on Pergolski, but could not revive her.

Boruch said he then drove to the lake and crashed the truck into it, dragged Pergolski’s body to the shore and called 911. Rescue workers then arrived at the lake and pronounced Pergolski dead.

During cross-examination, prosecutors asked Boruch questions about his phone and banking records to show jurors that Pergolski was worth more to him dead.

The final question that Voorhees asked of Boruch was if he caused his mother’s death, to which he replied, “No, I did not.”

According to WFXS News, Boruch has been found guilty of killing his mother. A sentencing date has not been scheduled, but he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

District Attorney Don Dunphy stated, “This was a very circumstantial case. It needed to be built brick by brick.”

The defense maintained Boruch did lie about the events of that day in June, but that he did not kill his mother. 

Prosecutors said he did kill, and it was all for the money.

“I knew he would try to change his story,” Dunphy said. “I just didn’t know exactly what it was going to be.”