Charges filed in two separate Fayette County deaths
One man was charged with criminal homicide in the shooting death of a woman outside of a Uniontown bar, while another man was charged with involuntary manslaughter in a drug overdose death that also occurred in the city.
The charges, announced Friday, were the result of an August grand jury that convened in Fayette County.
Terrell Jones, 33, of Uniontown allegedly shot Samantha Harden, 34, also of Uniontown outside of McPatton’s Pub on North Gallatin Avenue on June 23, 2022.
During a Friday news conference, District Attorney Rich Bower said Jones got into a fight with another man inside the bar, and left. Video surveillance showed he returned a short time later and a laser sight can be seen pointing from a vehicle Jones was allegedly driving, toward the man with whom he was fighting.
Police said six shell casings were found, and Harden was hit in the head by one of the shots that were fired.
According to Bower, Jones was in Fayette County Prison on an unrelated matter and told an unidentified informant that the man he was fighting with inside the pub used Harden as a shield. A second person known to police but not identified told authorities Jones said he did not intend to shoot Harden.
“Terrell Jones is in custody right now and is being arraigned on the charge of homicide,” Bower said, adding that the arrest was the result of a joint investigation by state police and Uniontown police which is still ongoing.
In addition to criminal homicide, Jones also faces two counts of attempted homicide, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.
Magisterial District Judge Jason Cox denied Jones bail in the case.
Bower also announced counts of drug delivery resulting in death, involuntary manslaughter and other drug-related charges were filed against Blake Dennis, 26, of New Salem in the death of Elaya Ford, 26.
According to police, on Sept. 14, 2022, emergency responders were dispatched to a home on Hortense Street in Uniontown because two women had overdosed. One was revived with two doses of the opioid reversal drug Narcan. Foster, of Uniontown, was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The cause of her death of was intoxication from the combined effects of cocaine and fentanyl.
Police alleged Dennis sold Foster the drugs earlier in the day for $40.
Dennis, said Bower, was supposed to report to court last week on another charge, but failed to do so.
“He is a fugitive at the present time,” Bower said.
Anyone who knows Dennis’ whereabouts is asked to call state police at 724-439-7111 or Uniontown police at 724-430-2929.