In the quiet neighborhood of Penn Hills, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 39-year-old Jerry Alston, an African American male, was found dead in his home on Schley Street on the evening of Thursday, October 19, 2017. The discovery was made by Penn Hills police who were dispatched to the residence at approximately 10:24 p.m. Inside, they found Mr. Alston with two gunshot wounds to his head. He was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after at 10:41 p.m.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office officially ruled his death a homicide.
Investigators from the Allegheny County Police Homicide Unit took over the case and began to piece together the events leading to Alston's death. One of the perplexing details of the crime scene was the absence of any forced entry, which led detectives to believe that Alston may have known his killer. While a motive for the shooting was not immediately clear, neighbors had reportedly complained about a high volume of traffic in and out of Alston's residence. This detail added a layer of complexity to the investigation as authorities worked to understand the circumstances surrounding his life and untimely death.
A significant lead in the case emerged when detectives discovered a small but crucial piece of evidence inside Alston's home: a receipt from a local McDonald's. This clue led investigators to the fast-food restaurant on Saltsburg Road, where they were able to retrieve surveillance footage corresponding to the date and time on the receipt. From this footage, police released images of a person of interest they wished to speak with. The individual was described as an older African American man with a white beard, who was seen driving a light-colored SUV. Authorities have emphasized that he is a person of interest and not necessarily a suspect. As of late 2017, no arrests had been made in connection with the murder of Jerry Alston, and police have continued to ask for anyone with information to come forward.
