Man Arrested For Allegedly Beating Another Man To Death In Natrona Heights
NATRONA HEIGHTS, Pa. (KDKA) - A man was arrested for allegedly beating a person to death in Natrona Heights.
Allegheny County Police say the Harrison Township Police responded to reports of a beating on Spruce Street on Nov. 23. When they arrived, they say they found 50-year-old Eric Henderson lying on the sidewalk.
#BREAKING: Detectives just charged a Natrona Heights man w/ criminal homicide. Allegheny County detectives say Lamont Wilford allegedly beat another man to death. Witnesses say Wilford punched, kicked and jumped up & down on the victim, kneeing him to death. @KDKA pic.twitter.com/8tDoNC2LTS
— MEGHAN SCHILLER (@MeghanKDKA) December 5, 2019
Police launched an investigation and say they identified 48-year-old Lamont Wilford as a suspect.
Witnesses told police that an argument between Wilford and Henderson happened outside a home on Spruce Street. The two went back inside, but then came back out again about 25 minutes later, arguing once more.
The criminal complaint says witnesses saw Wilford punch Henderson, who fell to the ground "lifeless."
"It's scary," said Jeff Luechtefeld, neighbor. "I got three daughters that live with me so it definitely raises an eyebrow."
Luechtefeld said everyone heard about what happened and later learned Henderson died shortly after he was found lying on the sidewalk. Several neighbors told KDKA that officers returned to the street for days after the incident.
Mary Jane Zdila works just a few feet away at the Natrona Bottling Company and said she's sick over what happened.
"To have something like that happen it's a real shame, but to have the person arrested that committed the crime -- the justice system has to take over now," said Zdila.
Then, Wilford allegedly punched Henderson multiple times and jumped up and down, kneeing him multiple times. Henderson was taken to the hospital but died from his injuries. According to the criminal complaint, his cause of death was ruled to be blunt force trauma to the head.
Wilford was already in jail, police say, for a previous arrest warrant. On Thursday, police charged Wilford with criminal homicide.
He will stay in jail awaiting arraignment on the criminal.
