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.

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