Man pleads guilty to murder charge

UNIONTOWN, Pa. (AP) -- A Cleveland man pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and will be sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison in exchange for testifying against two other people in the strangulation death of a western Pennsylvania man.
As part of a deal with Fayette County prosecutors, Deshon Garrison pleaded guilty on Monday to the murder charge stemming from the March 24 slaying of 30-year-old Eric Thomas at a housing project.
According to court documents, police believe that Garrison played a minor role in the slaying, which was apparently fueled by drugs. Police believe that the ringleader was Timothy Atwater, 25, who fatally shot himself on March 31 as U.S. Marshals tried to arrest him.
Slaying
In the court documents, authorities claim Garrison, Atwater, Charles Wilson of Cleveland and Chambrale Parham of Pittsburgh went to a South Union Township housing project where Thomas, of Cleveland, was staying and planned to rob him of drugs.
Atwater then allegedly fought with Thomas and while they struggled, Wilson bound Thomas' arms and legs, police said. Atwater then tied a shirt around Thomas' mouth and shoved him in a closet.
Police allege the four then lured another man, Terrence Lett, to the house and assaulted him, bound him and shoved him in another closet so they could steal a rental car. Police said they also robbed him of a cell phone and $200. The rental car was found abandoned in Pittsburgh.
Wilson, also known as Thomas Moore, remained in the Fayette County Prison. It was unclear if he had an attorney.
Parham's whereabouts were unknown Tuesday and a reliable phone number could not be located by The Associated Press. It was unclear if she had an attorney.