Irwin man accused of killing estranged wife's boyfriend in North Versailles

A 40-year-old Irwin man is charged with homicide after police say he shot and killed a man in North Versailles last month before shooting himself in the head.

Samuel Trusso, who police said is expected to survive, is charged with criminal homicide and firing a gun into an occupied structure in the March 22 death of Travis Sanner. Sanner was dating Trusso’s estranged wife, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case.

When North Versailles police responded to 502 Rustic Road around 11:20 p.m., they found Sanner just inside the doorway to the home with a gunshot wound to the face. Additional officers encountered another man, later identified as Trusso, fleeing the scene. When officers approached him, Trusso took out the gun and shot himself in the head, officers said.

Sanner’s girlfriend and her mother were at the home at the time of the shooting, officials said. The girlfriend had been married to Trusso for about 10 years before separating last year. The woman said she was divorcing Trusso because he was physically and verbally abusive, and had pointed a gun and threatened to kill her, officials said. The two were still in contact.

The woman told police she and Sanner were at the house when Trusso called her to say he and his girlfriend got into a fight. Trusso said his girlfriend stabbed him at their Irwin apartment so he left. The woman told Trusso to come over because he didn’t have anywhere else to go. When Sanner heard Trusso was coming over, he left.

Trusso arrived at the house around 10 p.m. Sanner later returned.

It was the first time Trusso and Sanner met in person. The woman later told police that Sanner did not like that she kept in contact with Trusso.

The woman told police that when the two met, Sanner said, “Why’re you here? It’s only a scratch, you need to be more of a man,” as if taunting him, the complaint reads. The two then got into a fight and Trusso threw Sanner on the couch. The woman pulled Trusso off of Sanner, who then left.

Sanner later texted the woman that she needed to come get her stuff because “they were through,” according to the complaint.

She replied to Sanner, saying, “I gave you a chance to meet. You didn’t give me the benefit of the doubt. What he does isn’t my fault.”

The woman called her mother to borrow her Jeep to pick up her things. The woman drove back to Sanner’s house with Trusso while her mother drove separately.

When they arrived at the home, the woman saw some of her things outside. She then went to the basement with Sanner to retrieve a nightstand. When they returned, Trusso began taunting Sanner and they started arguing in the doorway. Sanner slammed the door shut and Trusso reached into his waistband, pulled out a black gun and pointed it at Sanner, police said.

The woman tried to grab his arm when three to four gunshots rang out and she dropped to the ground.

She told police she saw Sanner fall to the ground while Trusso ran away.

An officer who saw Trusso shoot himself recovered a Sig Sauer semi-automatic gun. In addition, three shell casings were found on a rear concrete patio. Bloody footprints were seen leading from the rear door onto the patio, officers said. Numerous bullet holes were observed on the right side of the wooden door frame.

A metal door had one bullet hole in which the bullet traveled inside the home.

Sanner was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers later responded to Forbes Regional Hospital in Monroeville where Trusso was taken.

According to police, Trusso was alert when he entered the emergency room and told doctors, “I shot him, and I shot myself.”

Officials with Allegheny Health Network on Tuesday said Trusso is in critical condition at Forbes.

A hearing date has not yet been set.