Woman calls brother killed in Strip District her 'superhero' as shooter heads to prison

A Pittsburgh man who followed two people in his car after a bar brawl in the Strip District and then shot them, one fatally, as they drove across the 16th Street Bridge, will serve at least 40 years in prison.

Jeffdyn Rushton, 36, of the city’s Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood was sentenced Thursday by Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Jill E. Rangos.

A jury in June convicted Rushton of third-degree murder in the shooting death of Joseph Marlin Mitchell, 39, of McCandless, and the attempted homicide of Marzelle Turner.

According to a criminal complaint, Mitchell and Turner were at Art’s Tavern on Penn Avenue on June 25, 2022, when they were involved in a fight in the bar just before midnight.

Video from inside showed them fighting with at least four other men, including Rushton.

Security footage showed Rushton being thrown out of the bar at 11:59 p.m., and Mitchell and Turner left 90 seconds later.

Police said Rushton got in his vehicle, drove around the area for a short time, and then began to follow the victims, who were in Turner’s black Lexus.

City surveillance cameras showed Rushton in a blue Equinox following Turner and Mitchell inbound on Penn Avenue near 21st Street and then outbound on Liberty Avenue approaching 16th Street.

As Mitchell and Turner made a left onto 16th Street at 12:10 a.m., the Equinox was speeding up behind them.

The shooting occurred in the middle of the 16th Street Bridge.

Turner, who was critically wounded, drove the Lexus to Allegheny General Hospital on the North Side, arriving minutes later.

The Lexus was riddled with bullet holes.

Mitchell, who had been shot in the head, died at 3:20 a.m. on June 26, 2022. Turner was in critical condition.

Rushton was arrested about a month later.

At trial, he maintained his innocence, his attorney Owen Seman said.

Rushton continued to do so Thursday at sentencing. He expressed sympathy to the Mitchell’s family.

“Though I’m maintaining my innocence, I’m truly sorry for everyone who lost their loved one on June 26, 2022,” Rushton said.

During the hearing, Mitchell’s family described him as kind and caring.

Mitchell was one of nine siblings spread across 20 years.

Brittany Jernigan, Mitchell’s youngest sister, called him a great big brother who helped keep everyone in line.

“We had to remind him he wasn’t our dad,” Jernigan said. “He was always so mature.”

Mitchell had a job since age 14 and worked for Stanley Steemer at the time he was killed, his family said.

He graduated from college and had just earned his commercial driver’s license.

Mitchell enjoyed going to the gym and spending time with his 20 nieces and nephews.

“I miss his deep voice, his jokes, his laugh,” Jernigan said. “I miss us all together.”

Marlana Jernigan called her brother her “superhero” and protector.

Addressing Rushton directly, she said. “What may have meant nothing to you meant the world to my family.”