Defendant in Philly waitress' killing reportedly to plead guilty

The man charged with the rape and murder of Northern Liberties waitress Sabina O'Donnell in June is expected to plead guilty to the killing in a hearing next month, a city prosecutor said.

Donte Johnson, 18, of North Philadelphia, is charged with murder, rape, robbery, and sexual assault in the death of 20-year-old O'Donnell.

Lee Mandell, Johnson's attorney, was not available for comment. Assistant District Attorney Richard Sax said Johnson had agreed to plead guilty. A court hearing has been set for Dec. 10.

O'Donnell's nude body was found June 2 behind the building where she lived with her stepfather, on Fourth Street near the Northern Liberties border. She had been strangled, raped, and beaten, police said.

O'Donnell, who worked at the PYT burger lounge in the Piazza at Schmidts in Northern Liberties, was an aspiring dancer and model. She spent her last night out with friends at Northern Liberties bars, then went to a friend's house. Around 2:30 a.m., she left on a borrowed bicycle to go home - a trip that should have taken a few minutes.

Johnson had been circling the area on a bicycle, looking for something to steal. Surveillance cameras showed him around 3 a.m. as he passed O'Donnell on the street, then turned around to follow her.

A tipster led police to Johnson about two weeks later. Police said he had told them that he approached O'Donnell because he wanted to steal her bike, but that the situation escalated when she screamed. Investigators said they had matched DNA found on O'Donnell's body to Johnson.

After his arrest, police said, Johnson said in his statement: "I shouldn't have did it. I shouldn't have put my hands on her. All over a bike."