Suspect charged in deadly 2023 shooting in Westmoreland County

Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli announced charges against a suspect in a deadly 2023 shooting in New Kensington. 

Criminal homicide charges, along with murder in the first degree, firearms violations, and terroristic threat charges, have been filed against Rajon Wilson. 

Back in October 2023, police were called to Kenneth Avenue in New Kensington for reports of a man unresponsive on the front porch of a home. He was identified as Troy Vickers Jr., and he had to be rushed to a Pittsburgh-area hospital, where he was put on life support. 

He died about two days later due to complications from a gunshot wound to the head, and his death was ruled a homicide. 

An investigation into the shooting of Vickers found that he and Wilson had been in an argument months earlier at a local bar. 

Witnesses told police that there had been a build-up of animosity between the two men in the months leading up to the shooting. After looking at surveillance video, police observed Wilson driving through New Kensington on the streets leading up to Kenneth Avenue. 

Within three minutes of parking his vehicle and walking toward Kenneth Avenue, he was seen pulling away. 

A review of the video also had the sound of two gunshots from around 10:49 p.m. 

Wilson was already at the Westmoreland County Prison on unrelated charges.