Gregory Ray Wynkoop, a 35-year-old male of Caucasian ethnicity from East Franklin Township, tragically died on June 28, 2019, from a single gunshot wound in New Kensington, PA. Wynkoop, a heavy equipment operator, was found shot in and around a vehicle in the 1500 block of Kenva Alley, Arnold, which is between North and McCandless streets. He was pronounced dead about 45 minutes later at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison.
The incident was part of a string of shootings in the area, and the investigation revealed that Wynkoop was shot during an attempted robbery. Allen Duwayne Herring, a 32-year-old man from Braddock, was arrested on July 8, 2019, and charged with first- and second-degree murder, robbery, conspiracy, and firearms violations. Herring's girlfriend, Santyna Marie Bennett, and another accomplice, Bailey Ann Hines, were also charged with various offenses related to the crime.
The case involved a complex investigation, including a search involving police, bloodhounds, and a helicopter, which led to Herring's arrest in a wooded area between New Kensington and Lower Burrell. Herring later pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and being a person not permitted to possess a firearm, receiving a sentence of 18 to 40 years in prison.
Wynkoop's death left behind his wife, Amanda, and three children, Addison, Phoenix, and Maximus, who deeply mourned the loss of their beloved family member. The community and his colleagues at Holbein Inc. also expressed their sorrow and disbelief over the tragic event.
The investigation and subsequent legal proceedings brought some measure of justice for Wynkoop's family, but the pain of losing a loved one in such a violent manner remains a poignant reminder of the fragility of life.
