On a cold January evening in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, the life of 19-year-old Dorrel Ferguson was tragically cut short. On January 4, 2025, police responded to a call at approximately 8:25 p.m. and discovered Ferguson's body on a sidewalk in the 1000 block of Ross Avenue. He had sustained a single gunshot wound to his upper torso and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The victim was a male who resided in Wilkinsburg.
The investigation into the shooting painted a grim picture of a drug deal that had taken a fatal turn. According to police, Ferguson had arranged to buy marijuana from 17-year-old Khalil Valcin. The two met at a nearby gas station convenience store about 15 minutes before Ferguson's body was discovered. Surveillance footage from the store captured the exchange of bags between Ferguson and Valcin. Ferguson allegedly gave Valcin a tote bag that contained fake money and other weighted items in exchange for a backpack believed to contain marijuana.
Upon realizing he had been deceived, Valcin became enraged. He and a friend who was with him pursued Ferguson down Ross Avenue. A witness told police that he believed they were only going to fight Ferguson to get the bag back. However, the confrontation escalated with deadly consequences. Valcin allegedly grabbed the bag from Ferguson and then shot him once in the neck.
In the months that followed, investigators pieced together evidence from witness statements and surveillance videos, which ultimately led them to identify Khalil Valcin as the primary suspect. On July 23, 2025, Valcin, a rising senior and quarterback at Woodland Hills High School, turned himself in to authorities. He has been charged as an adult with criminal homicide and possession of a firearm by a minor. Valcin is currently being held in the Allegheny County Jail awaiting further legal proceedings.
