Hill District assault now investigated as homicide

An assault in November in the Hill District is now being investigated as a homicide after the victim’s death this weekend, Pittsburgh police said Tuesday.

Gregory Hill, 60, died Sunday at a hospital after being removed from life support, police said.

On Nov. 12, Mr. Hill was found unconscious, convulsing and bleeding from his head inside a residence in the 3300 block of Webster Avenue and was rushed to UPMC Presbyterian hospital in critical condition.

That night, according to the affidavit of probable cause, police arrived on scene and were confronted by Raymone Curry, 26, who held an ashtray as he verbally threatened the officers.

One of the officers said the front door to the home had “multiple dents and there was glass shattered all over the entranceway as if someone was attempting to forcibly gain access into the house,” police said in the complaint.

The officer was directed inside the home to where he saw a man’s legs protruding from a room and into the hallway.

“There was a large blood pool on the ground coming from the right side of Hill’s head,” the officer said in the complaint. “It was apparent that Hill had suffered multiple serious injuries to his head.”

Police said they were told by one person Mr. Hill may have been stomped, but the person said he didn’t witness anything.

During the investigation, an officer said he saw blood on Mr. Curry’s shoes.

When police asked Mr. Curry what happened, he told them he had been lying on the couch for about three hours. “... At some point, (Mr. Curry) noticed Hill was laying on the ground, injured,” the complaint said.

Police reviewed a camera at the front of the home. It didn’t show an assault or the home’s interior, but police said a girl could be heard screaming from inside the home. Later, the same girl told police she witnessed Mr. Hill being stomped by Mr. Curry.

Mr. Curry was originally charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and terroristic threats. He was unable to post bail and is still in police custody, according to a spokesman with the city’s public safety department.

He said Mr. Curry’s charges have not been upgraded to homicide and police are still investigating.