Construction worker jailed on charges of murdering actress

The Associated Press

NEW YORK -- A construction worker was jailed Tuesday on charges of murdering an actress who was found hanging from a shower rod.

Diego Pillco, 19, confessed to the slaying of 40-year-old Adrienne Shelly, prosecutor Marit Delozier said at Pillco's arraignment.

Pillco was jailed without bail. His attorney, Thomas Klein, said he would file motions in Pillco's case later.

Pillco had been helping renovate an apartment in the Greenwich Village building where Shelly had an office. The New York Times quoted the prosecutor as saying Pillco got into an argument with the actress after she complained about construction noise.

She was found dead in her office last Wednesday. Police were hesitant to label the case a suicide, since no note was found and sneaker prints that did not match her shoes were found in the bathtub.

Shelly appeared in the 2005 movie "Factotum" with Matt Dillon. She also appeared in "The Unbelievable Truth" in 1989 and "Trust" in 1990. She made her directorial debut with "Sudden Manhattan" in 1996. She recently wrote and directed the movie "Waitress," starring Keri Russell and Nathan Fillion.