Police: Man held in Trafford slaying involved in other shootings

A Verona man charged Thursday in the shooting death of Anthony Raymond was involved in prior shootings in Trafford and Monroeville and is wanted on out-of-state charges, police said.

Police responded before 6:10 a.m. for a report of shots fired in the 500 block of Fifth Street Extension in Trafford. Officers arriving on the scene found the victim — later identified as Mr. Raymond, 27, of Pittsburgh — in the street with multiple gunshot wounds, according to police.

He was pronounced dead at the scene minutes later, police said.

About 8 p.m. Thursday, Jesse Chaz Parks, 20, was found hiding in a bedroom closet at a home near where Mr. Raymond’s body was found, a criminal complaint said. A woman answered the door and allowed police to search the residence. He was arrested and charged with criminal homicide, tampering with evidence and receiving stolen property.

Court records show Mr. Parks’ bail was denied and he is currently being held at the Allegheny County Jail.

Authorities found three spent .40 caliber bullet casings in front of the home on Fifth Street Extension where Mr. Parks was found, police said. They also found a black Smith & Wesson handgun in the back of the home, which they later learned had been reported stolen by Somerset state police. The gun was

missing a magazine clip, the criminal complaint said. Police said they also found a “ballistic strike mark” below the first-floor window of a home across the street.

In a search of the home, police found a firearm magazine with .40 caliber “Federal S&W” inside a black garbage bag. Police did a background check and also learned Mr. Parks was wanted on an arrest warrant for unrelated charges out of Florida.

Trafford police said Mr. Parks was known to frequent the neighborhood where Thursday’s shooting occurred, and this was not the first time Mr. Parks had run into trouble with the law. Police said he had previously been identified as a suspect in an Aug. 14 shooting in the 500 block of Fifth Street Extension. No one was injured in that incident, the complaint said, and police found several .40 caliber casings at the scene.

Days later, Mr. Parks was also reportedly involved in a shooting at TGI Friday’s in Monroeville on Aug. 21, the complaint said. Eight .40 caliber bullet casings were found at that scene. Mr. Parks fled in a silver vehicle and was later stopped and detained by Penn Hills police, the complaint said. No one was injured.

A preliminary hearing is set for April 14 at City Court, Downtown.

Allegheny County police are investigating with assistance from Westmoreland County detectives.