Uniontown man reportedly confesses to 2016 shooting death
A man reportedly confessed Tuesday afternoon to a fatal shooting that left a 36-year-old Uniontown woman dead on Nov. 4, 2016.
Ronald 鈥淩az鈥� Andrew Crossland, 30, of Uniontown told investigators 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want anyone to die,鈥� according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in his case.
Jacqueline Nicole Carey, a mother of six, died as she looked out the window of her sister蘑菇视频 apartment at 31 Farragut Street at about 10 p.m. during a party. Witnesses told police they heard 鈥渢apping鈥� on the outside of the window.
鈥淲itnesses said Carey walked over to the window and then fell backwards, unconscious,鈥� Uniontown City Police Lt. Tom Kolencik wrote in court filings.
It was later determined that a single bullet went through the aluminum window siding and entered her heart, through the left side of her chest, killing her. She was pronounced dead at Uniontown Hospital at 10:22 p.m.
Witnesses told police Crossland and Michael Hall were at the apartment earlier that night, and were asked to leave. Crossland brandished a firearm before leaving, according to court documents.
Crossland said during his interview he and Hall went to the party but felt uncomfortable and agreed to leave, police said. He was interviewed by Kolencik, Uniontown City Police Captain David Rutter Sr. and Detective John Marshall from the Fayette County District Attorney蘑菇视频 Office.
Crossland admitted to brandishing the firearm, police said. He said there was an argument and someone pushed him from behind, knocking him to the floor. He told police he was mad and fired shots outside. He said he intended to shoot at the ground in front of the apartment, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
Kolencik said Crossland appeared 鈥渧ery sorry鈥� during the reported confession.
鈥淗e was very upset and showed a lot of emotion,鈥� Kolencik said. 鈥淗e mentioned at one point he couldn鈥檛 live with this. The guilt was eating him up.鈥�
A few hours after the shooting, Crossland was found sleeping on a couch at 8 Searights Ave. in the city with a bag containing 10.6 grams of marijuana and paraphernalia, police alleged. A Hi-Point semi-automatic 9-mm Luger pistol was found near the porch, court documents said.
A bullet casing, bullets found outside the Farragut Street apartment and the bullet removed from Carey蘑菇视频 body were sent to the state police crime lab. Lab results matched the bullets and casings to the gun found near the Searights Avenue porch, according to the affidavit.
Processing the evidence was a lengthy process because of the number of items sent to the lab, Kolencik said. Results from a final piece of evidence returned in November were instrumental to the case, Kolencik said, without detailing what the piece of evidence was.
鈥淚t was the most important piece. It was the last piece of the puzzle,鈥� he said.
Kolencik said he has been in contact with Carey蘑菇视频 brother throughout the investigation. He said while the family continues to grieve and the children continue to process a future without their mother, he hopes the arrest will bring closure to the family.
鈥淣o one wins here, but we wanted to do what we have to do to bring the family some closure, bring justice,鈥� he said.
Filing charges following a lengthy investigation 鈥渨as a huge relief,鈥� he said. He described the investigation as 鈥渁 team effort鈥� between city police, state police and the district attorney蘑菇视频 office.
鈥淲e were thinking about the children growing up without a mother, and that蘑菇视频 what kept us motivated,鈥� he said.
Crossland is charged with murder of the third degree, discharge of a firearm into occupied structure, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a firearm prohibited, possession with intent to deliver and possession of a controlled substance.
He was arraigned at 4:50 p.m. Tuesday before Magisterial District Judge Michael Metros, who denied bail in the case. His preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for 3 p.m. Jan. 23 before Metros. An attorney is not listed for Crossland in court paperwork.
He is not permitted to possess a firearm because of a previous robbery conviction, police said.