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Key homicide witness wanted to kill accused killer himself

Allegheny County Sheriff's Office

Key homicide witness wanted to kill accused killer himself

The witness stood before the district judge, glowering at the defendant.

He was there Friday morning to convince the court to hold Steven Sparrow Jr. for trial. Mr. Sparrow, 20, of Penn Hills, was charged with homicide in the shooting death of a man in what police have described as a drug deal gone bad.

The witness is a relative of the victim, Andre Williams, 26. Prosecutors requested that the witness’ name not be used due to concerns for his safety.

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The witness told the court he initially lied to police when interviewed, not wanting to divulge the identity of Mr. Sparrow because he wanted to kill Mr. Sparrow before police arrested him.

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"I wanted to take care of him myself," he testified Friday.

But he changed his mind and identified Mr. Sparrow to police, based on a Facebook post bragging about the shooting. 

Mr. Williams was shot around 10:40 p.m. Sept. 2 in the 8000 block of Mark Drive in Penn Hills. He died the next day.

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The witness was driving his own vehicle, with two passengers, including the victim.

They were to meet with Mr. Sparrow so Mr. Williams could sell marijuana to Mr. Sparrow for $800, according to a criminal complaint.

The witness, testifying Friday at a preliminary hearing before District Judge Craig Stephens at City Court in Downtown, said his relative and Mr. Sparrow "were doing their business" when there was a sudden "pop." The witness sped away and, when he stopped, the victim was dead in the backseat and "blood was everywhere. Everywhere." When police searched the car, no marijuana was in the car and the money was gone, except for a single $100 bill.

An autopsy report said Mr. Williams died of a single gunshot wound to the forehead.

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Allegheny County homicide detective Brian Keefe explained how police used information from Facebook and the telephone company as well as county 911 records to trace Mr. Sparrow and how, when his home was searched, the murder weapon was found.

In a Facebook post, Mr. Sparrow is accused of writing: "I pop dat [expletive] rite in his [expletive] face."

Mr. Sparrow was held for court on a general count of criminal homicide, robbery, possessing a firearm, possessing a stolen firearm. He's in the Allegheny County Jail, being held without bond.

Karen Kane: kkane@post-gazette.com or at 724-772-9180.

First Published: November 3, 2017, 6:06 p.m.

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