Police charge suspect with killing 70-year-old found on train tracks in Scott

Allegheny County police charged a 28-year-old with homicide after officers found a man dead along railroad tracks in Scott on Thursday evening.

Joseph Williams, 70, was pronounced dead at the scene after he was found lying on railroad tracks behind South Hills Self Storage near a homeless encampment, officials said.

Police charged Vendell Nasir III with criminal homicide and tampering with physical evidence, court documents show.

Officers responded to Creek Street around 5:50 p.m. and found Williams with a wound to his head and knife wounds to his chest, back, neck and face, according to a criminal complaint. Responding officers found a bloody knife about 30 feet from Williams, officials said.

A witness told officers they had fallen asleep in a tent at the encampment but was awoken by another witness who said they thought “Joe Wine,” a nickname for Williams, was dead. The second witness said they thought they saw a young man punching and kicking Williams, according to the complaint.

During an interview with police, the second witness said, “I know why you want to talk with me, I saw Vinnie kill Joe Wine,” the complaint said.

The witness told police they were in the tent when they heard Williams and Nasir, who the witness continued to call Vinnie, talking outside.

The witness left the tent and told the officer they saw Nasir “‘punting’ a person near the railroad tracks,” the document said.

Nasir continued to kick the person, officials said. The complaint said the witness asked him who he was kicking, “to which he said no one,” after which Nasir left the area.

The witness said they walked over to the person and learned it was Williams, police said.

The witness told officers they had known Nasir for about six months and both of them stayed at the homeless encampment, police said. The witness identified Nasir through photographs.

Officers walking to the homeless encampment said they encountered Nasir walking away from the camp toward the Third Street Bridge. Nasir, who matched a description from a witness, had fresh abrasions and cuts on his left hand and his clothes and hands were bloody, the complaint said.

After asking where Williams was, police said Nasir led officers to his body. Nasir was detained by police and taken to Allegheny County police headquarters.

A preliminary hearing had not been scheduled as of Friday morning.