In the summer of 2018, a dispute rooted in the drug trade spiraled into a fatal confrontation in Altoona, Pennsylvania, claiming the life of 58-year-old David Alan Hoover. The male victim's death on July 26, 2018, was the culmination of a high-speed chase that ended in the parking lot of the Bethany Lutheran Church. The events of that day were set in motion by a 'drug deal gone bad,' leading to a tragic and violent end.
The conflict began when Hoover attempted to purchase cocaine.
However, the deal was a setup orchestrated by Edward 'Cowboy' Clemens, who was a passenger in a vehicle driven by John Patrick Stiver II. Clemens allegedly held a grudge against Hoover over a past monetary dispute. When Hoover realized he was being deceived, he fled, leading to a chase through the city streets. The pursuit concluded at the church parking lot, where the final, fatal encounter took place.
Hoover, having been pursued, reportedly exited his vehicle armed with a baseball bat. Stiver, from his car, fired a single shot from a shotgun, striking Hoover in the neck and severing a carotid artery. First responders and concerned citizens, including a nurse from a nearby park event, rushed to Hoover's aid, but his wound proved too severe. Stiver fled the scene immediately after the shooting.
Law enforcement launched an investigation that quickly led them to John Patrick Stiver II as the primary suspect. He was located and apprehended by a tactical team in a rural area of Homers Gap. Following his arrest, Stiver was charged with the murder of David Alan Hoover. During his trial, the prosecution argued that the shooting was an intentional act, while the defense maintained that Stiver acted in self-defense, claiming Hoover was aggressively approaching his vehicle with the baseball bat.
Ultimately, a Blair County jury convicted John Patrick Stiver II of first-degree murder. In August 2020, he was sentenced to a mandatory life in prison without the possibility of parole. Despite the conviction, Stiver has continued to maintain his innocence and has filed appeals, arguing that his trial counsel was ineffective. The case stands as a stark reminder of the violent consequences that can erupt from the world of illegal drugs, leaving a family to mourn the loss of a loved one and another man to spend the remainder of his life behind bars.
