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New rape charge coming against man accused of Pitt student's murder

Myrtle Beach Police Department

New rape charge coming against man accused of Pitt student's murder

The man charged with killing a University of Pittsburgh student last week will face new charges of rape involving a teen from Elizabeth. 

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said on Friday that Matthew Darby, 21, of Greensburg, will be charged with sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl. The alleged crime occurred between Mr. Darby’s arrest for criminal trespass on Sept. 26 and before he was accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, Alina Sheykhet, 20, of Oakland, early on Sunday. 

Pittsburgh police were contacted on Tuesday by the mother of the alleged victim in Elizabeth, Mr. Zappala said. She told them that Mr. Darby was the man who assaulted her child, and that they recognized his photograph when they saw news coverage of the homicide in Oakland. 

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The Allegheny County police are investigating the alleged rape in Elizabeth, and Mr. Zappala said he expects the charges to be filed soon. 

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He also revealed that one of the weapons used to kill Ms. Sheykhet was taken from the basement of her apartment building on Cable Place.

According to investigators, Mr. Darby entered Ms. Sheykhet’s building through a basement window, and the hammer used in the attack was taken from there.

Mr. Darby had already been out on a $10,000 bond on a pending rape case from Indiana County that was filed in February. 

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In addition, Ms. Sheykhet obtained a temporary protection from abuse order against him on Sept. 21 from Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge David Spurgeon after Mr. Darby attempted to enter her apartment two nights earlier by shimmying up a gutter on her building. 

Ms. Sheykhet told Judge Spurgeon that she had dated him for two years but that they had broken up, and she had blocked him from being able to call.

When he broke into her second floor window, she said, “he didn't want to harm me. He just wanted to speak to me. I did leave him a few weeks prior to that, and I guess he did not like the fact that I asked him to leave me alone."

She called him "controlling," but when asked if she thought he would hurt her, repeatedly said, "No."

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She said she knew there was "a warrant out for his arrest," but said, "I don't think he would lay a hand on me."

"I'm more worried about your safety than you are," Judge Spurgeon said. "I think he's a danger to you."

He granted the order barring him from having contact with her, pending an Oct. 5 hearing.

Mr. Zappala said that the fact that Ms. Sheykhet was killed while under the protection of a PFA could qualify as an aggravating factor which could lead to his office seeking the death penalty against Mr. Darby. 

“The death penalty is a consideration right now,” the district attorney said, adding, though, “It’s a little premature.

“It will be a thoughtful process.” 

Pittsburgh homicide detectives and sheriff’s deputies have already gone to South Carolina, Mr. Zappala said, and he hopes Mr. Darby is returned to Allegheny County by the end of the month.

Mr. Darby’s freedom on bond following his his Sept. 26 arrest for criminal trespass, despite the pending rape case, has prompted some experts and advocates to suggest that better coordination between Indiana and Allegheny counties could have changed the outcome.

Allegheny County Common Pleas President Judge Jeffrey A. Manning said Friday that pre-trial services employees reviewed Mr. Darby’s arrest record prior to making a recommendation for release. Although he had the rape case pending in Indiana County, he had no prior convictions.

“This is a college kid with no criminal record,” Judge Manning said. “He came out as a low-risk offender.”

Pre-trial services would not have had access to the underlying details of the Indiana County case, Judge Manning said.

“There is no doubt more information is better than less,” he said. “Would we have liked to have better information? Sure. But better information about past acts doesn’t necessarily predict future bad acts.

“It’s still a judgment call.”

Pre-trial services recommended that Mr. Darby be released on a non-monetary bail and be required to report in person.

Magisterial District Judge Linda Zucco did not take that recommendation, and instead required him to post $10,000 bond.

“We do 20,000 bail petitions a year, and less than 5 percent violate the conditions of bail,” Judge Manning said.

Paula Reed Ward: pward@post-gazette.com, 412-263-2620 or on Twitter: @PaulaReedWard. Rich Lord contributed.

First Published: October 13, 2017, 6:20 p.m.

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