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Vanderbilt homicide suspect waives charges for tentative plea deal

By Alyssa Choiniere achoiniere@heraldstandard.Com 3 min read
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A Tarentum man waived his charges in exchange for a tentative plea deal Thursday, two years to the day after he allegedly fired shots at a man in a drug robbery gone awry in Vanderbilt.

Omari Sei-Tu Parker Jr., 19, signed a waiver Thursday provisionally agreeing to serve 16 to 32 years in prison for third-degree murder in the death of Tywain J. Reid.

Reid, 29, was gunned down in the street at the intersection of Center and Walnut streets at about 8:50 p.m. Sept. 17, 2018. Parker was the fifth person to be charged in his death. The group allegedly conspired to rob Reid.

Parker was arrested in Monroeville by the U.S. Marshals Western Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force and local police departments in July 2019. He had been identified as a suspect in June of that year.

Also charged were Djamar “Bloody” Rodgers, 27, of McKeesport, Peaches Spring Logan, 42, and her son Roy William Aller Jr., 21, both of Dawson and Sjon-Luc Bochnak, 27, of Dunbar. Police allege Rodgers and Parker both shot at Reid. Rodgers is in jail awaiting trial.

Logan testified at Rodgers’ preliminary hearing in January 2019. She testified she was dope sick and planned to rob Reid with Bochnak. She said they selected Rodgers, her drug dealer, to be the “strong arm.” She described a second shooter she did not know, who police later identified as Parker. She met him earlier in the day when they picked up Rodgers in Duquesne for the robbery. Both Rodgers and the second man had guns, she said.

During the robbery attempt, Rodgers and the second man stood on the opposite side of the street from Reid’s Main Street apparent, preparing to rush in and steal drugs. She and Aller knocked on the door. Bochnak served as the lookout, she testified.

After about 15 minutes, she testified they gave up and fled when Reid angrily answered the door. As she fled, she said she heard a brief argument between Reid and Rodgers, followed by 12 to 14 gunshots.

Bochnak pleaded guilty to robbery and criminal conspiracy to commit robbery and was sentenced to two to four years in prison. Logan pleaded guilty to robbery, attempted robbery and criminal conspiracy to commit robbery and Aller pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted robbery. Both were sentenced to five to 10 years in prison.

One count of robbery was withdrawn for Parker at his court appearance. He waived charges of criminal homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide, attempted robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. He was denied bail, and remains in Fayette County Prison.

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