In the late afternoon of November 22, 2023, 26-year-old Michael Dean was found deceased inside his home on Benwood Avenue in Stowe, a community near McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. His parents made the discovery after he failed to answer his door for a pre-arranged meeting. Upon their arrival, they found a spent shell casing on the front porch and, after gaining entry to the house, discovered their son on the living room floor. He had been fatally shot.
Investigators from Allegheny County Police quickly determined that Dean had been the victim of a homicide. Security camera footage from the residence played a crucial role in the investigation, capturing the moments leading up to the fatal shot. The video showed three individuals attempting to force their way into Dean's home. One of the individuals was seen firing a single round through the front door after Dean had slammed it shut. This single shot struck and killed Michael Dean.
The investigation led to the arrests of two suspects: Arrmon Hagans and a teenager named Cy-Miar Amari Woods. Both were charged in connection with Dean's death. Hagans, who was 43 at the time of the incident, was identified in part through license-plate tracking cameras that followed his vehicle to a local tavern. He was arrested a week after the shooting at a hotel, and investigators reported that he was in possession of the murder weapon. Hagans later identified the then 15-year-old Woods as the shooter.
In March of 2026, Cy-Miar Amari Woods, then 16, stood trial for the murder of Michael Dean. The prosecution's case heavily relied on the testimony of Arrmon Hagans. However, the defense argued that Hagans' testimony was unreliable, suggesting that Hagans himself had planned to rob Dean, who was known to sell marijuana. Ultimately, the jury acquitted Woods of criminal homicide and a firearms charge, leading to the dismissal of all remaining counts against him. Arrmon Hagans' case is still pending, and authorities have indicated that they are still seeking a possible third person seen in the surveillance footage.
