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One arrested Tuesday for Monday murder
By JOE GORMAN
FARRELL, Pa.
Police say they still are searching for one person after the murder of a man in the 800 block of Emerson Avenue late Monday.
Southwest Mercer Regional Police Chief Riley Smoot said Wednesday detectives are looking for that person in their investigation of the death of Andrew Walko, 41, 824 Emerson Ave.
“As of right now, we do know there was more than one person present,” Smoot said. “We’re still working that.”
Police were able to arrest Miguel J. Huey, 26, of 700 Orange Drive in Hermitage, in Walko’s death. He is in the Mercer County jail without bail after his arraignment on the charges of criminal homicide, criminal conspiracy to robbery and robbery. In Pennsylvania, defendants charged with criminal homicide are not eligible for bail.
Smoot said Walko lived across the street from his stepson, whose home was being broken into by at least two men about 11:15 p.m. Monday, and came over to help when he was shot. He died later at UPMC-Farrell of a gunshot wound to the chest.
Walko’s stepson was able to identify Huey as one of the people by pointing to his photo on a Facebook page. Smoot said the stepson would not tell police if he knew Huey or not.
Smoot said thus far in the investigation, detectives do not think the stepson’s home was singled out.
“As of right now, we haven’t found anything to indicate that house was targeted,” Smoot said.
Smoot said Emerson Avenue is a relatively quiet area of the city.
He said there is a nearby park but a local group, Men of God, watch over it and for the most part, there is no trouble. He also said there are very few houses.
“That neighborhood itself is a really quiet neighborhood,” Smoot said. “It’s rare to have issues there.”