In the winter of 2016, the life of 23-year-old Bronson Waite was tragically cut short in what began as a robbery. On January 20th, police were called to the 3900 block of Vinceton Street in the Perry North neighborhood of Pittsburgh for a report of shots fired, but they found no victim at the scene. The grim discovery was made the following day when Waite's father, concerned after not hearing from him, went to his home to check on him.
He found his son deceased in the living room, having been shot four times.
The investigation into the death of the young male quickly uncovered that several items were missing from his home, including a Microsoft Xbox One, two pistols, an Apple iPad, surveillance cameras, and a cell phone. The motive appeared to be robbery. A witness later informed police that they had accompanied a man named Daron Clark to Waite's home to purchase marijuana just days before the murder. According to the witness, Clark had called the next day and stated his intention to rob Waite, saying, 'I need some money and I'm stressing.'
The crucial break in the case came from one of the stolen items. Investigators were able to track the location of the stolen cell phone, which led them to a residence in the Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood. On January 27, 2016, police executed a search warrant at the home. As they moved in, 21-year-old Daron Clark fled out the back door, carrying one of the firearms that had been stolen from Waite's home. Inside the residence, police discovered the other stolen items.
Daron Clark was arrested and subsequently charged with criminal homicide, robbery, and conspiracy. In May 2018, at the age of 23, Clark pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, robbery, burglary, conspiracy, and receiving stolen property for the death of Bronson Waite. He was sentenced to serve 12.5 to 25 years in prison. Another man, Damon Bledsoe, was identified as an alleged co-defendant in the robbery.
