Nov 21, 2023 By Mike Jones 3 min read

Three suspects charged in connection with the deadly shooting of a Uniontown teen in 2020 will stand trial on homicide and other charges.

Following their lengthy preliminary hearing Friday afternoon in Fayette County Central Court, all charges against Malik Belt, Devyon Dennis and Micah Allen Craig were held for court in the killing of 19-year-old Kaii Nishaun McCargo in Uniontown on Sept. 4, 2020.

Uniontown police said McCargo was a passenger in a vehicle parked in the 100 block of Evans Street when another car pulled up beside it and multiple gunshots were fired, striking him in the head and torso. McCargo died at the scene, while the driver of his car, Issac Michaux, told investigators he was able to roll out of his seat to avoid the gunfire.

Police said the three suspects went to a residence after the shooting, and all of them were in possession of guns. Cellphone records also showed Craig was in Uniontown around the time of the shooting, according to court documents, and video on his phone showed the three suspects driving on Route 40 into the city beforehand.

Police filed charges against the three suspects in April, and both Dennis, 19, and Craig, 22, were arrested later that month while Belt, 20, was arrested this September. All three are being held without bond at the Fayette County jail.

Blaine Jones, whose law firm represents Belt and Dennis, said Monday he thinks the prosecution’s case is weak after it relied on what he described as “self-serving hearsay statements” from witnesses.

“I thought that based on the lack of evidence that was presented by the commonwealth, the case should’ve been dismissed,” Jones said. “I think our clients are in a very good position heading into trial in that they will be found not guilty.”

Craig’s public defender, Phyllis Jin, could not be reached for comment Monday.

Dennis was 15 at the time of the shooting and Belt was 17, although both Uniontown residents are charged as adults. Craig, of Charleroi, was an adult at the time, and he’s facing additional charges for allegedly selling “ghost guns” in Washington County in a separate case.

District Attorney Richard Bower, who previously indicated he was considering pursuing the death penalty against Craig, said Monday that he would let his successor, Mike Aubele, make that decision when he takes office in January.

All three suspects are facing felony charges of homicide, conspiracy, attempted homicide and carrying a firearm without a license, along with numerous misdemeanor counts.

Their formal arraignment on the charges is tentatively scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Dec. 21 before Judge Steve Leskinen.