In the early hours of a summer Friday in 2020, the life of Harold E. Hicks, a 51-year-old Black man, was cut short by gunfire in the borough of Wilkinsburg, a community on the edge of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. On June 19th, at approximately 1:30 a.m., Allegheny County Police were called to the 1400 block of Coal Street, where they discovered a grim scene.
Hicks and a woman, later identified as 43-year-old Tara Joseph, were found with fatal gunshot wounds.
The investigation quickly expanded when, just a few blocks away in Hunter Park, a third victim, 43-year-old Oliver Finley, was also found deceased from gunshot wounds. Investigators determined that the same type of shell casings were present at both locations, linking the three deaths as a triple homicide. It was reported that the three victims knew each other.
In the immediate aftermath of the shootings, law enforcement began a search for a person of interest, described as a Black male wearing a light blue shirt and khaki pants. They also issued a call for the public's help in locating a blue Pontiac G-6 that was believed to be connected to the crime.
Despite the initial leads and public appeals for information, the investigation into the murders of Harold Hicks, Tara Joseph, and Oliver Finley has not resulted in any publicly announced arrests. As of early 2021, authorities confirmed that they were still actively searching for the individual or individuals responsible for the triple homicide. The case remains a painful and unresolved chapter for the families of the victims and the community, a stark reminder of a night of violence that claimed three lives.
