On a tragic Friday evening, July 19, 2019, the life of 17-year-old Darren Scott Jevcak was cut short in a fatal shooting outside his workplace in New Castle, Pennsylvania. Jevcak, a male who was soon to be a senior at Lincoln High School, was working as a pizza delivery driver for Scustie's Pizza on Highland Avenue. He was a caring and helpful young man who enjoyed weightlifting and spending time with his family and friends.
The events of that evening unfolded when police were called to
the pizza shop for a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered Jevcak lying in the parking lot. He was transported to UPMC Jameson Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The man arrested at the scene was 41-year-old Michael J. D'Biagio of Beaver Falls.
Investigations revealed a motive rooted in a father's anger. D'Biagio believed that Jevcak had introduced his daughter to drugs, specifically cocaine. According to police reports, D'Biagio had learned of a relationship between his daughter and Jevcak and believed she had been sneaking out to use drugs with him. On the day of the shooting, while his wife and daughter were at a mall, D'Biagio allegedly contacted Jevcak to find out his location. He then retrieved a gun from his home and drove to the pizza shop.
Witnesses reported seeing D'Biagio confront Jevcak as he exited the back of the building. D'Biagio is said to have fired multiple shots, with one witness hearing him say, 'This is what drug dealers get.' After Jevcak fell to the ground, D'Biagio allegedly shot him again, stating to police that he wanted to put him out of his misery as he appeared to be in shock. The owner and another employee of the pizza shop came outside and spoke with D'Biagio as he appeared to be reloading his weapon. When law enforcement arrived, D'Biagio surrendered peacefully. He was charged with criminal homicide and aggravated assault and was held in the Lawrence County Jail without bail pending a preliminary hearing.
