On the evening of August 25, 2023, Victor “Vic” Musgrove, a 51-year-old Black / African American male, was fatally shot in Clairton, Pennsylvania. A well-known and beloved figure in the Pittsburgh area, Musgrove was the owner of VIP Styles, a barbershop on Smithfield Street in the city's downtown. He was known for his community involvement, which included giving free haircuts and participating in back-to-school events for local youth.
His death reverberated through the community, drawing an outpouring of grief, including from Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, who had been a friend of Musgrove's for over four decades.
That Friday night, Musgrove had attended a high school football game between Westinghouse and Clairton. Afterward, he reportedly went to the Village Inn bar on Miller Avenue. It was in this area that he was shot while inside his vehicle. After being struck by a bullet in the chest, Musgrove's car traveled down a hill, striking a pole and a tree before coming to a stop. First responders found him wounded inside the crashed vehicle and transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight on August 26.
The investigation into the homicide quickly focused on a suspect. Allegheny County Police identified 42-year-old Edwin Wiley-Biggs as the man responsible for Musgrove's death. According to court records, cell phone data indicated that Musgrove and Wiley-Biggs had been in communication in the weeks leading up to the shooting. A witness revealed that Musgrove had gone to meet Wiley-Biggs, believing he was purchasing marijuana. Texts from Musgrove to the witness indicated he was meeting a 'dude for some cheaper bud' and also stated, 'I'm doing this for my safety.' After he was shot, Musgrove managed to call the witness and tell them that Wiley-Biggs had shot him.
On September 7, 2023, nearly two weeks after the shooting, law enforcement tracked Wiley-Biggs to a residence in McKeesport. After a brief standoff with a SWAT team, during which negotiators and family members helped convince him to exit, Edwin Wiley-Biggs surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with criminal homicide and a firearms violation. Wiley-Biggs was then housed at the Allegheny County Jail to await his preliminary arraignment.
