Although we are only halfway through the year, May, thus far, has had the lowest number of Black homicides. From January to April, each month has had five or more Black homicides. Are those in the community finally getting the “Stop the Violence” message or is this just the calm before the storm? We are hoping the message has gotten through.
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We as a community, especially the Black community, need to realize that when we destroy and tear down things in our own community, we are only hurting ourselves. For several months we have issued challenges to members of the community, well here’s another. To those individuals gang banging, instead of doing things to destroy the community, why not do something positive to build it up? Instead of picking up a gun, why not pick up a paintbrush or a hammer? Besides, these actions are more beneficial and the consequences are far less than that of picking up a gun and committing a senseless killing.
As part of an ongoing effort to heighten awareness about the effects of murder in Black communities, the New Pittsburgh Courier will compile a list of homicides in the county each month. It is our hope that as the list of victims grows, so will a true understanding of how these lost lives affect the mental health, economic well-being and self-images of the region’s Black neighborhoods.
Out of the 34 murders in 2011, 25 were Black and 22 were Black men.
MAY HOMICIDES (7)
MAY 8—Malachi Urbini, a 20-year-old White male from McKees Rocks, was fatally shot during a drug deal gone wrong near Third and Amelia Streets in McKees Rocks. He allegedly tried to exchange items for heroin. He was taken to Allegheny General Hospital, where he later died. Jaivon Cunningham and Shilee Dixson have both been charged with criminal homicide, robbery and conspiracy. Dixson was also charged with possession of a firearm by a minor. They are awaiting trial.
MAY 14—Robert Butler-Peterson, a 24-year-old Black male from the Hill District, was found dead with a gunshot wound in the back in the 2200 block of Bedford Avenue, in the Hill District, after an apparent drive-by shooting. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No one has been charged with the homicide; the investigation is ongoing.
MAY 16—Todd Mattox Jr., a 28-year-old Black male from Homewood, was shot to death outside the Leechburg Garden Apartments in Penn Hills. The vehicle he had been driving was reportedly taken from the scene and recovered in Wilkinsburg. No one has been charged with the homicide; the investigation is ongoing.
MAY 22—Marquis White, a 22-year-old Black male from Pittsburgh, was fatally stabbed in the chest in an apartment in the 400 block of Grove Street in the Hill District. He was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital, where he later died. He was allegedly stabbed by a girlfriend during a domestic altercation. It is unknown if charges were filed.
MAY 22—Lynette Gasparre, a 38-year-old White female from Shaler, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head inside her home at 404 Beulah St., in Shaler, along with her two children and live-in boyfriend. She was allegedly shot by her boyfriend Barry Hardesty, who later killed himself. It has been ruled a murder-suicide.
MAY 22—Quinn Gasparre, a 7-year-old White female from Shaler, was found shot in the head, along with her mother, sister and mother’s live-in boyfriend, at their home on Beulah Street, in Shaler. She was allegedly killed by Hardesty, her mother’s boyfriend. It was ruled a murder-suicide.
MAY 22—Nina Gasparre-Hardesty, a 1-year-old White female from Shaler, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head, along with her mother, sister and father at her Beulah Street home in Shaler. She was shot by Barry Hardesty, her father, who later killed himself. It was ruled a murder-suicide.
January Homicides (7)
JAN. 1—Tauvea Hurt, a 20-year-old Black male from Clairton, was fatally shot in the abdomen when two men entered the residence at 2305 Lincoln Ave. in Clairton, where he was attending a New Year’s Eve party. He was taken to Jefferson Regional Medical Center, where he later died. Keith and Lindsey Wright have been charged with homicide, conspiracy and burglary. They allegedly had an ongoing feud with Hurt over another incident. They are currently awaiting trial.
JAN. 2—Larry James-Watson, a 19-year-old Black male from McKees Rocks, was fatally shot in the chest in the 5400 block of Youngridge Drive during an apparent home invasion at the Leland Point Apartments in Baldwin. James-Watson allegedly approached the home, fired a shot through a window, hitting the owner and tried to enter through the window. The owner reportedly fired back hitting James-Watson. The owner is unlikely to face charges. The investigation is ongoing.
JAN. 15—James Redshaw, a 30-year-old White male from the North Side, was found fatally stabbed in the chest at a home on Lithgrow Street in the North Side. Redshaw was allegedly stabbed during a fight. He was taken to Allegheny General Hospital where he later died. Calvin Tucker has been charged with criminal homicide. He is currently awaiting trial.
JAN. 16—Ronald Washington, a 24-year-old Black male from Pittsburgh, was shot in the chest while sitting in a vehicle on Lombard Street in the Hill District. Two men had allegedly been seen standing outside the vehicle and then opening fire on the vehicle. The vehicle sped off and was driven to Mercy Hospital, where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
JAN. 23—Jorman Wright Jr., a 30-year-old Black male from Lawrenceville, was shot in the head in the 6400 Block of Frankstown Avenue outside of a Sunoco A-Plus Gas Station in Larimer. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
JAN. 25—Jabbar Fridia, a 27-year-old Black male from the North Side, was fatally shot multiple times in the torso as he was driving on Marsden Street in Hazelwood. He lost control, hit a home and the vehicle flipped over. Fridia was freed from the vehicle and taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
JAN. 26—Steven MacKowski, a 38-year-old White male from Verona, was found shot to death in a parked car in the 200 block of Kansas Street in Penn Hills. He had allegedly been shot in Homewood and driven to Penn Hills. Samuel Rice has been charged with homicide, reckless endangerment and firearms violation. He is currently awaiting trial.
February Homicides (6)
FEB. 10—Devin Scott, a 19-year-old Black male from Mt. Oliver, was reportedly shot in the chest in the 300 block of East Warrington Avenue in Beltzhoover. When authorities arrived a pedestrian had been performing CPR to Scott who was on the sidewalk. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
FEB. 12—Dane Smith Jr., a 21-year-old Black male from the Hill District, was found shot multiple times, including one to the head, in the 2500 block of Centre Avenue in the Hill District after he had been chased from the 2300 block of Reed Street where the gunfire began. He was taken to UPMC Mercy, where he later died. Marcus Smith has been charged with criminal homicide. He is currently awaiting trial.
FEB. 13—Michael Kitonis, a 20-year-old White male from Duquesne, was found shot to death in the chest outside of 409 Hamilton Ave. in Duquesne during an alleged altercation where he pulled the gun out and was shot after both parties wrestled for it. James R. Miller Jr. has been charged with the death and is awaiting trial.
FEB. 13—William King, a 23-year-old Black male from Penn Hills, was found stabbed and dismembered on a hillside in Plum near Coxcomb Hill Road after he had been reported missing several days earlier. Vito Pelino has been charged with homicide, abuse of a corpse and kidnapping. He allegedly killed King for trying to have sex with his sister after a night of drinking at a Verona bar. He allegedly picked up King, stabbed him, took the body to his mother’s house and chopped it up. Corey Robert has also been charged with abuse of a corpse and conspiracy for helping to dispose of the body. They are currently awaiting trial.
FEB. 18—Waishard White, a 22-year-old Black male from Wilkinsburg, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the chest near the 7200 block of Stranahan Street in Homewood. Authorities believe he had been shot earlier in the week in the 7100 block of Everton Street where they have a report of shots fired and someone injured. D’Andre Black and Cornell Pointer have been charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy and criminal attempted homicide. They are currently awaiting trial. (D’ Andre Black is not the standout Schenley High School basketball and football star, with the same name.)
FEB. 23—Felecia Greene, a 26-year-old Black female from Oakland, was fatally stabbed during a domestic dispute with her mother at the mother’s residence in the 2000 block of DeRaud Street in the Hill District. Both parties had been injured and she was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital, where she later died. The dispute was allegedly over the care of Greene’s son. Terrie Greene, her mother, has been charged with criminal homicide. She is currently awaiting a preliminary hearing.
FEB. 27—Brian Natali, a 29-year-old White male from Crafton, was fatally shot while riding in a car along Baldwick Road in East Carnegie, when a passenger’s gun in the backseat was discharged hitting Natali in the back. He was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital, where he later died. After months of investigations it was ruled a homicide. It is unknown if charges were filed.
MARCH HOMICIDES (7)
MARCH 12—Edwin Britt, a 41-year-old Black male from Duquesne, was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and torso, outside of his home in the 400 block of William Street in Duquesne. No one has been charged with the homicide; the investigation is ongoing.
MARCH 13—William Perry, a 49-year-old Black male from McKeesport, was found dead in the doorway of his home in the 1700 block of Butler Street in McKeesport with two gunshot wounds in the head. A neighbor who was visiting another resident in the building found him. No one has been charged with the homicide; the investigation is ongoing.
MARCH 15—Charles Wooding, a 22-year-old Black male from Homewood, was found shot to death in the chest in the hallway of an apartment building on Milligan Avenue in Swissvale. No one has been charged with the homicide; the investigation is ongoing.
MARCH 17—LaKisha Robinson, a 29-year-old Black female from the North Side, was found lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to the chest and trunk after an individual fired shots into a crowd during an alleged fistfight between several women in the courtyard in the 200 block of East Ohio Street on the North Side. She was taken to Allegheny General Hospital, where she later died. A warrant has been issued for Jessie Lewis. He is expected to face charges of attempted homicide, reckless endangerment, aggravated assault and carrying a loaded weapon.
MARCH 22—Teesha Williams, a 17-year-old Black female from Penn Hills, was found dead inside of her burning home on Azalea Drive in Penn Hills, with a gunshot wound in the head. She had been shot and set on fire when a blanket was ignited on top of her. She died of smoke and fume inhalation due to the fire. Akeem Page-Jones has been charged with homicide, arson, firearms violation, recklessly endangering another person and possibly robbery, theft and burglary. He is currently awaiting trial.
MARCH 23—Trent Colverson, a 21-year-old Black male from Homewood, was found fatally shot multiple times in the torso on Hackett Way. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Domenique Lewis has been charged with homicide, robbery, two counts of criminal conspiracy and firearms violations.
MARCH 29—Lincoln LaRue, a 20-year-old Black male from Duquesne, was found dead when authorities responded to a call of a man lying in the middle of Perry Street in the Hill District. He had a gunshot wound to the head. He reportedly had been shot when he was leaving a friend’s house. No one has been charged with the homicide; the investigation is ongoing.
APRIL HOMICIDES (6)
APRIL 5—Dante Bugg, a 21-year-old Black male from Wilkinsburg, was fatally shot in the abdomen on Clark Street in Wilkinsburg. He was one of three shot and was taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
APRIL 6—Stephon Green, a 19-year-old Black male from Arlington Heights, was found shot to death in the head and chest in La Place Street in the Hill District. He died at the scene. No one has been charged; the investigation is still ongoing.
APRIL 6—Cuddy Brisken, a 90-year-old White male from Squirrel Hill, was found dead in his home at 2827 Fernwald Rd. in Squirrel Hill. He had trauma to the head, which was covered with a bag. Jason Eric Kuhns was charged with criminal homicide, robbery, burglary and receiving stolen property. He is currently awaiting trial.
APRIL 7—William Means, a 43-year-old Black male from Duquesne, was shot in the stomach on Crawford Avenue in Duquesne, outside of the Sportsman Bar. He was taken to Allegheny General Hospital, where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
APRIL 23—Rashee Coleman, a 17-year-old Black male from Wilkinsburg, was shot in the head on a footpath in a wooded area near the 800 block of Memory Lane in the Hill District. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
APRIL 27—Jaquay Lomax, a 19-year-old Black male from Duquesne, was fatally shot multiple times in the chest and back at a Duquesne playground near the Parkview Manor Apartment. He was taken to UPMC McKeesport, where he later died. No one has been charged; the investigation is ongoing.
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