North Side man pleads guilty to 2021 murder
A Pittsburgh man will serve at least 10 years in prison after pleading guilty Monday to third-degree murder in a fatal shooting in the city’s Beltzhoover section.
Justin Nicholas, 22, of the North Side also pleaded to carrying a firearm without a license and possession of a weapon before Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Bruce Beemer.
Darren Green, 29, of the city’s Sheraden neighborhood, was found shot and killed on Aug. 14, 2021, on Bernd Street in Beltzhoover.
Green, who had been driving a white Volkwagen Tiguan, was found inside the vehicle, which had crashed into a house, about 11:45 p.m. He had been shot in the torso.
Nicholas was taken into custody on Nov. 11, 2021, and admitted to being on the street that night with three other people.
In an interview with police, Nicholas said he had been in a car on Jucunda Street that night with Raymontay Green.
Nicholas got out of the car. That’s when Darren Green drove down the road.
Nicholas said Raymontay Green then got out and approached Darren Green’s car.
Police gave no indication the two were related.
Darren Green opened his driver’s side door, and he and Raymontay Green started to struggle, according to police.
Nicholas said he heard a gunshot. He said the victim had gotten the gun off Raymontay Green, and the two continued to tussle.
“Nicholas stated he pulled out his pistol and shot into the victim’s vehicle one time,” police said.
Nicholas and Raymontay Green then got back into their vehicle and fled.
Paula Reed Ward is a TribLive reporter covering federal and Allegheny County courts. She joined the Trib in 2020 after spending nearly 17 years at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where she was part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team. She is the author of “Death by Cyanide.” She can be reached at pward@triblive.com.
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