Greensburg, PA – Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli announces the conviction of the defendants charged in the homicide of Jason Raiford, 39.
After a nearly week-long trial, the jury was charged by Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani on Friday afternoon and deliberated for nearly four hours.
A Westmoreland County jury found Amir Kennedy, now 16, guilty on all charges of first- and second-degree murder, 2 counts of robbery, aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit robbery, receiving stolen property and possession of a firearm by a minor.
Elijah Gary, 20, was convicted of 2 counts of robbery, aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit robbery.
Da’Montae Brooks, 17, was found guilty of robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of a firearm by a minor.
District Attorney Ziccarelli said, “I hope this allows the family of Jason Raiford to heal and find justice in this verdict.”
Raiford encountered the seven defendants on July 3, 2022 at the Valley Royal Court apartment complex in New Kensington in an attempt to rob him for owed drug money.
Several of the teens had firearms including Kennedy who was armed with a stolen semiautomatic rifle.
After a brief scuffle, Raiford was shot 11 times just outside of the complex’s door by Amir Kennedy, with 10 of the shots fired into Raiford’s back.
The four other defendants charged with criminal homicide in this case have yet to be prosecuted, either in the adult or juvenile justice system.
“I thank the jury of men and women who dedicated their time and service to this trial. This was a difficult case for jurors to deliberate over given the violent nature of this crime and the young ages of the defendants. Assistant District Attorneys Leo Ciaramitaro and Jackie Knupp spent countless hours preparing and prosecuting this case, and I am grateful for their commitment to seeing this case through,” Ziccarelli said.