In the early morning hours of October 13, 2013, the life of Michael Robert Onley II, a 34-year-old male from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was tragically cut short by an act of gun violence. Known affectionately as 'DJ Mo,' Onley was a beloved and popular local disc jockey who had a passion for music and his community. He was a graduate of Coughlin High School and held a degree in communications from Wilkes University, where he hosted a show on the campus radio station, WCLH.
Tragically, Onley was no stranger to the devastation of gun violence, as his own brother had been killed in an unrelated shooting just a year prior, a loss that spurred him to become a vocal advocate against such senseless acts.
The fatal incident unfolded in a parking lot behind Outsiders Bar on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre, a place where Onley was a regular DJ. Sometime after the bar had closed, a drive-by shooting occurred, and Onley was struck in the head. He was rushed to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township, but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. It is believed that Onley was an innocent bystander, caught in the crossfire of a senseless act of rage.
The investigation into Michael Onley's murder led to the identification and arrest of two suspects: Roberto Battle and David Nealy. According to prosecutors, the motive for the shooting stemmed from an incident earlier in the night when Battle and Nealy were kicked out of the Outsiders Bar. In an act of retaliation, the two men returned to the area, and Battle fired a gun into a crowd of people outside the bar, with Nealy driving the getaway car. Onley was not the intended target of the shooting.
After a lengthy legal process, both Roberto Battle and David Nealy were brought to trial. In December 2018, a jury in Luzerne County found both men guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Michael Onley. The conviction brought a sense of justice to Onley's family and the Wilkes-Barre community, who mourned the loss of a talented and compassionate man who had worked to make his community a safer place.
