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Teen Held in Robbery-Murder,
Second Suspect Sought

By Staff Reports
The Tube City Almanac
July 24, 2020
Posted in: Crime and Police News

Allegheny County police allege that Master Thornton, 18, of McKeesport is one of the two men shown here in surveillance video taken from the Family Dollar store on Versailles Avenue. The second has not yet been identified. (Photo courtesy Allegheny County police)

A McKeesport teen-ager is being held without bail in the Allegheny County Jail in connection with a 2019 robbery and murder at the Family Dollar store on Versailles Avenue.

Master W. Thornton, 18, is charged by Allegheny County police with homicide, robbery, possession of a firearm by a minor and criminal conspiracy in the death of Dwayne Fuller, 24, of Homestead.

Police allege that Thornton and another man got into an altercation with Fuller inside the store last Oct. 17.

The three men struggled and Fuller was shot, police said. The two other men then fled the scene, police said.

Fuller was taken to the hospital where he died approximately an hour later.

Allegheny County police recovered surveillance video from the store. County police Lt. Venerando Costa said Thursday that detectives are still working to identify the second suspect in the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Allegheny County police tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS (1-833-255-8477). Callers may remain anonymous.

County police also may be reached via Twitter and Facebook.

A preliminary hearing for Thornton is scheduled for Aug. 5 before Common Pleas Court Judge Kim Berkeley Clark.

According to court records, Thornton also faces charges in two other incidents.

North Versailles Twp. police arrested Thornton on May 3 on charges of receiving stolen property, carrying a firearm without a license, unlawful possession of a firearm and corrupting the morals of a minor. Thornton faces a preliminary hearing on those charges Aug. 13 before Magisterial District Judge Roxanne Sakoian Eichler.

Thornton also faces nearly a dozen charges — including robbery, terroristic threats, firearms violations, reckless endangerment, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property — in connection with a Feb. 3, 2019, incident in Pitcairn.

A preliminary hearing on those charges is scheduled for July 29 before Clark.

Originally published July 24, 2020.

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