In the early hours of a Tuesday morning in Pittsburgh's East Hills neighborhood, the life of John M. Faulk, a 45-year-old African American man, was tragically cut short. On September 4, 2018, shortly after 2 a.m., Faulk was outside Lady Di's bar on Frankstown Avenue when he was shot. He was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
During the incident, a woman inside the bar was also struck by a stray bullet that pierced through the establishment's wall. She was hospitalized with a leg wound but was in stable condition.
The investigation into the shooting led police to identify 37-year-old Timothy Noel Jr. of Wilkinsburg as the suspect. A few days after the fatal shooting, Noel was apprehended at his home by the U.S. Marshal's Western PA Fugitive Task Force and Pittsburgh Police. He was subsequently charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, and multiple firearms violations in connection with the death of John M. Faulk.
Following his arrest, the legal proceedings against Timothy Noel Jr. commenced. While initial reports detailed the charges, the subsequent path through the justice system proved to be complex. After a conviction for third-degree murder, a significant development occurred when a court ordered a new trial. This decision was based on the grounds of ineffective assistance of counsel, specifically the failure of the trial lawyer to request a jury instruction for 'imperfect' self-defense. This ruling was later upheld by the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, granting Noel a new opportunity to present his case. The final outcome of any subsequent trial or legal resolution has not been publicly reported.
