Updated Dec. 9, 5:30 p.m.
Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Judge Paul Tressler denied former Economics professor Rafael Robb's appeal of his five- to 10-year prison sentence for killing his wife, Ellen, according to The Times Herald of Norristown.
Frank DeSimone, Robb's attorney, filed a motion for reconsideration of Robb's sentence on Dec. 1, citing his belief that Tressler had misinterpreted the motive of a letter Robb sent to his 14-year-old daughter Olivia.
The letter, which Olivia received the day before Robb's Nov. 19 sentencing, said that Robb would send her holiday gifts only if she sent him a photo of herself and her report card.
At Robb's sentencing hearing, Tressler said he felt the letter demonstrated Robb's need to control Olivia's life. Tressler said it was a factor in his decision to give Robb a sentence in the standard range for voluntary manslaughter, rather than a lighter sentence.
Robb was arrested in January 2007. In November 2007, he admitted to beating his wife to death with a chin-up bar in December 2006 during an argument over Olivia's vacation plans.
Robb resigned from his post at the University shortly after he pleaded guilty.
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