In the summer of 2023, the life of Daryl Vincent Lee Jr., a 44-year-old Black man from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, came to a tragic and violent end. Described as a hardworking and spiritual person, Lee ran his own landscaping business. His obituary noted his love for boxing, working out, listening to R&B music, and his devotion to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On the afternoon of July 13, 2023, police believe Lee was shot and killed while riding as a passenger in a pickup truck in Johnstown. His body was discovered in the early morning hours of the next day, July 14, along State Route 403 in East Wheatfield Township, near the Indiana-Cambria county line. An autopsy later confirmed that he died from a gunshot wound, and his death was officially ruled a homicide.
The investigation quickly led authorities to Justin Allen Green, a 41-year-old fellow landscaper and neighbor, and his 30-year-old girlfriend, Brooke Ashley Pullin.
Investigators learned that Lee, who did not own a car, had been working with and getting rides from Green. According to authorities, Green later admitted to shooting Lee in his truck with a shotgun he had bought at a yard sale.
Investigators alleged that after the shooting, Green and Pullin drove to Maryland with Lee’s body still in the vehicle. There, Green reportedly discarded the shotgun in the Potomac River before they drove to Indiana County and left Lee's remains on the side of the road. Police also stated that the couple's one-year-old child may have been with them during this time. Key evidence leading to their arrests included a multi-colored hair belonging to Pullin that was found on Lee’s body, as well as shell casings and Lee’s bank card discovered inside Green’s truck.
Justin Green and Brooke Pullin were taken into custody and incarcerated in the Cambria County Prison. Green was charged with criminal homicide, robbery, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with physical evidence. Pullin faced charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and receiving stolen property. Their child was placed in the care of Cambria County Children and Youth Services.
The case concluded in September 2024. In Cambria County court, Justin Green pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and was sentenced. Brooke Pullin pleaded guilty to abuse of a corpse and was also sentenced for her role in the crime.
