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Trial Underway For Man Charged With Shooting Death Of 78-Year-Old Jefferson Hills Motel Owner

JEFFERSON HILLS (KDKA) -- The case against a man accused of killing a motel owner more than three years ago is headed to court.

Testimony began Wednesday in the murder trial of Derrick Gallaway.

derrick gallaway
Derrick Gallaway. (Photo Credit: Allegheny County Police)

He is accused of shooting 78-year-old Dehnad Taiedi at the Jefferson Hills Motel on Route 51 in May 2016.

Detectives found Taiedi's body with a gunshot wound to the head in a ransacked office.

Taiedi was the motel owner, working the night shift.

Denhad Taiedi
(Photo Credit: KDKA)

They also found a trail of blood that led out of the office.

DNA from that trail of blood matched the DNA profile of Gallaway, who was staying at the motel at the time.

Gallaway is from California and was extradited back to Pennsylvania to stand trial.

Gallaway is facing a list of charges including, criminal homicide, robbery, weapons violations, theft and tampering with evidence.

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