Suspect, 17, in Homicide Faced Earlier Charges

Police allege drug activity led to fatal shooting of NV Twp. man

By Staff Reports
The Tube City Almanac
September 03, 2024
Posted in: Crime and Police News

The teen-aged suspect charged in connection with a homicide on Monday morning was released from jail less than a month ago after charges were withdrawn in a separate attempted homicide case.

Daemond Artemus, 17, of McKeesport is charged by Allegheny County police with homicide, carrying a firearm without a license and possession of a firearm by a minor in connection with the fatal shooting of Dylan C. Saula, 22, of North Versailles Twp. on a Downtown street.

He is being held without bail in the Allegheny County Jail pending a preliminary hearing Sept. 13.

County police allege that Artemus and a friend saw Saula driving through McKeesport on Monday morning and flagged him down to purchase narcotics. Once Saula stopped, police allege, Artemus and Saula got into the back seat of the car and the friend drove the two around.

That’s when police allege that Artemus produced a handgun and shot Saula once in the head. Police allege that Artemus told his friend to stop the car at the intersection of Lysle Boulevard and Sinclair Street, where Artemus is accused of shoving Saula’s body out of the car, then telling his friend “just drive.”

Artemus was arrested by McKeesport police a short time later. He has denied any role in the shooting, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in Allegheny County night court.

According to court records, Artemus was arrested by McKeesport police in connection with an incident that happened April 23 in the city. McKeesport police charged Artemus with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a minor, recklessly endangering another person and another weapons offense.

Court records indicate that Artemus was arrested June 26 and ordered held without bond as a “threat” to the community, pending a preliminary arraignment.

But on Aug. 7, according to a docket report, those criminal charges against Artemus were withdrawn. No reason was specified.

Court officials told Tube City Almanac that they did not have copies of the criminal charges in that case. An attempt on Tuesday to reach a spokesperson for Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. was not successful.

According to the criminal complaint filed Monday, the string of events that led to Saula’s death began before 11 a.m., when Artemus and his friend flagged down Saula’s car. The complaint states that Artemus’s friend told police he had no idea why Saula was shot, and that he did not hear any confrontation prior to the shooting.

The witness told police that he was afraid that Artemus was going to shoot him next, according to the complaint.

Police allege that after Saula was shot, Artemus and his friend abandoned Saula’s car in the 1400 block of Pirl Street, and then walked to a residence on Hamilton Street.

Police said a Pirl Street resident called 9-1-1 to report that two juveniles had abandoned what appeared to be a stolen car near their house and described the clothing that both youths were wearing, according to the complaint.

Detectives have obtained surveillance video of the aftermath of the shooting, and of Artemus and another youth abandoning the car, according to the complaint.

The affidavit states that one of the videos shows Artemus using a brown sweatshirt to wipe down the side of the car, apparently in an attempt to remove fingerprints.

City police using a K-9 dog tracked the scent of the two youths from the abandoned car to the home on Hamilton Street, the complaint states, where officers detained Artemus and three other juveniles.

Police obtained a search warrant for the Hamilton Street residence and recovered clothing — including the brown sweatshirt — and a .357-caliber Glock pistol, according to the complaint. Police also recovered a T-shirt that belonged to Saula from the backyard of a home on Hamilton Street, the complaint states.

Artemus told police that he was walking to a nearby store when he saw Saula driving past and asked for a ride, according to the complaint. He told police that he knew nothing about the shooting and that he got out of Saula’s car when Saula refused to give him a ride home.

Originally published September 03, 2024.

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