On the final day of 2021, a tragedy unfolded in Pittsburgh's Homewood South neighborhood that claimed the lives of three people, including 28-year-old Tatiana 'Tay' Hill. The violence that erupted on New Year's Eve also took the lives of Hill's close friend, Nandi Fitzgerald, who was also 28, and Fitzgerald's 12-year-old son, Denzel 'Buddy' Nowlin Jr.
Responding to reports of gunfire in the early morning hours, police discovered a horrific scene at a residence on Hamilton Avenue. One of the women was found deceased outside the home, having been shot in the head. Upon entering the residence, SWAT officers found the other two victims, who had also been fatally shot. All three were pronounced dead at the scene. The incident left the community in shock and mourning, with friends and family gathering for a balloon release to remember the victims. Tatiana Hill was a mother to two children, a 5-year-old and a 7-year-old at the time of her death.
The investigation into the triple homicide led police to identify 29-year-old Ronald Steave as the primary suspect. An arrest warrant was issued for Steave in January 2022, charging him with three counts of criminal homicide. It was revealed that Steave had been in a relationship with Nandi Fitzgerald and was the father of one of her children. After a search involving multiple law enforcement agencies, including the ATF and the U.S. Marshals Western PA Fugitive Task Force, Steave was apprehended in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, in March 2022.
Following his arrest, Ronald Steave faced a trial for the murders. Although prosecutors initially sought the death penalty, they later withdrew this notice. In November 2024, a judge convicted Steave of three counts of first-degree murder following a two-day bench trial. Subsequently, in January 2025, Steave was sentenced to three mandatory life sentences in prison for the killings of Tatiana Hill, Nandi Fitzgerald, and Denzel Nowlin Jr. During the sentencing, family members of the victims had the opportunity to address the court and speak about their profound loss.
