The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

November 6, 2009

More homicide charges tied to Christmastime shooting

By Tom Davidson

FARRELL — Three more people have been charged in connection with the Dec. 20, 2008, shooting death and robbery of a Detroit-area man in Farrell.

“There’s a good possibility there’s going to be a fourth and a fifth,” person charged in the case, Southwest Mercer County Regional Police Chief Riley Smoot said.

Troy Lamont Coleman, 38, of Detroit, was robbed, shot and killed in the 1200 block of Roemer Boulevard, after a night spent drinking at bars in Farrell. He apparently passed out in his car and a group of people decided to rob him, according to police. When he came to during the robbery, police allege Phillip Carnell Phifer, 20, of Sharon, shot and killed Coleman. Cash was taken from Coleman but a 61-gram “cookie” of crack cocaine was found in his inside coat pocket during the autopsy.

Phifer is in Mercer County Jail on charges of homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide, robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery.

Police allege Phifer shot and killed Coleman.

Charges against three other people were filed Thursday at District Judge Ronald E. Antos court in Farrell. Two of the men who were charged are being sought by police, who asked their names be withheld because they are flight risks.

The third man charged is Anthony Duane “Dupus” Scott, 21, of Farrell, who’s already in Mercer County Jail on unrelated charges stemming from a May 28 shooting in Farrell.

In this case, Scott is charged with homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide, robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery.

The two men who are still being sought also face the same charges.

Because police allege a conspiracy between several people to rob Coleman ultimately led to his death, everyone involved is facing the homicide charge although Smoot said police believe Phifer was the triggerman.

Southwest Mercer County Regional police detectives have spent much of the past year investigating Coleman’s death and four as-yet unidentified witnesses helped police crack the case.

Text Only
Local News
  • Store owner busted again for fake pot sales

    The owner of a Grove City store already facing charges related to the sale of synthetic marijuana has been arrested a second time for selling the drug.

    Ala H. Nassar, 27, of 125 S. Seventh St., Sharpsville, was arrested Thursday on charges of delivery, possession and possession with intent to deliver synthetic pot, criminal use of a cellular telephone and conspiracy to commit delivery.

    Abdallah H. Matariyeh, 27, of the same address, also was arrested on charges of delivery and possession with intent to deliver.

    February 10, 2012

  • Bids opened for work to widen Rt. 760

    PennDOT officials opened bids Thursday for the first two sections of a three-section widening of Route 760 in Wheatland, Farrell and Sharon.

    February 10, 2012

  • Timeline now at center of negligence lawsuit

    A jury will decide whether the normal statute of limitations applies in a lawsuit filed by a Sharon man accusing a Sewickley agency of negligence that resulted in numerous injuries to his disabled son.

    February 10, 2012

  • Social media alert first responders

    The Mercer County Fire/EMS alerts’ Facebook page is two years strong and continues to attract followers who want the latest updates on traffic accidents, fires and other emergencies.

    February 10, 2012

  • State cuts trickle down to township

    Brookfield Township “is in a world of hurt.”

    February 9, 2012

  • Toth takes $30k to settle lawsuit

    It’s typical for lawsuit settlement agreements to include a confidentiality clause that bars the parties from discussing the terms of the settlement.

    February 9, 2012

  • Taking flight

    Some kids probably daydream about sending their homework up into the atmosphere, but that really happened this week for a few classes of Jamestown Area High School students.

    February 9, 2012

  • GC man called suspect in Jan. 27 bank robbery

    A Grove City man charged with robbing a Zelienople bank Monday is a suspect in the Jan. 27 robbery of a Sandy Lake bank.

    February 8, 2012

  • Committee to focus on finances for future

    Sharon city leaders have money on their minds as they look to the future of the once-vibrant town struggling with a limited tax base and higher costs of doing business.

    February 8, 2012

  • Summer work turns into year-round part-time job

    A Sharpsville resident asked council members this week why the man hired as summer help is still on the payroll in the middle of winter.

    February 8, 2012