Prosecutors to seek death penalty in Donora homicide
Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty against a Donora man accused of fatally shooting another man inside his borough home and wounding his girlfriend in late May.
Jevonne Malachi Crawford could be sentenced to death if he’s convicted in the May 28 homicide of Dakota Johnston, according to the motion filed Monday by First Assistant District Attorney Jason Walsh.
Walsh cited two aggravating factors in his motion, including that Crawford allegedly killed Johnston while committing another felony and put another person’s life at danger during the homicide.
Crawford is accused of going to 333 Third St. with two other men and shooting Johnston in the head at point-blank range before firing at Johnston’s fiancée, Tionya Gaston, striking her four times and leaving her for dead, according to testimony at his June 11 preliminary hearing. Gaston suffered gunshot wounds to her left ear, left shoulder, right arm and left hand, but was able to escape while Crawford was in another room beginning to clean up blood from the shooting, she testified. She left with her 6-year-old son and was able to get help at the Fraternal Order of Eagles, where members called police.
Crawford left the house and was arrested nearby following a brief foot chase with police officers. He was found with a .45-caliber handgun and 148 stamp bags of suspected heroin, state police said. While in the back of a police cruiser, Crawford allegedly admitted to killing Johnston, according to a body camera video from a Charleroi police officer.
“I know I killed someone,” Crawford said in the video. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life in jail.”
Johnston, 26, was taken to Mon Valley Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Crawford, 22, of 4 Mellon Ave., faces charges of homicide, attempted homicide, firearm not to be carried, theft, simple drug possession, drug possession with attempt to deliver, evidence tampering and aggravated assault. He is being held without bond at the Washington County jail.
Crawford’s public defender, Rose Semple, did not return a phone message seeking comment Monday.