Man, Woman, 10-Year-Old Girl Found Dead In New Castle Home, Victims Identified
Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter
NEW CASTLE (KDKA) -- Police are investigating after three people were found dead inside a home in New Castle.
According to police, officers were called to a home in the 800 block of West North Street just before 9 a.m. Tuesday. Pumpkins sit on the porch of the two-story yellow house that became the scene of a tragedy.
"We have an adult male, adult female and a 10-year-old child deceased in the residence," New Castle Police Chief Robert Salem said.
The three victims were found on the first floor of the house. They have been identified as 31-year-old Nichole Pumphrey and her 10-year-old daughter Amariah Emery, both lived the house.
"It's real sad," said Arvenia Edwards, a neighbor. "Being a mother of two, I couldn't picture my kids losing me, or my family members mourning the loss of one of my kids."
Pumphrey's cousin, Jack Evans, talked to KDKA's Kym Gable on Tuesday night. He said the entire family is still in shock, "trying to process it all." He said 10-year-old Amariah was like a ray of light.
"It's really unbelievable that would happen to a 10-year-old girl," said Evans. "She was a really cute little girl, and now, it's nowhere to put words... no way to say words for it."
KDKA's Kym Gable Reports:
He said family members are taking care of the four other children, who were all cousins.
"That's the part that gets me the most, I know my mom has spent time with the kids, and she's just broken up about it," Evans said.
He says the family is praying to hear more information from police on how the crimes happened and who is responsible.
"Nobody knows yet. We all want to know. We want to know where to put the blame," he added.
Police believe the victims were killed sometime Monday night.
The male victim, 31-year-old Lawrence Cannon, who police say is possibly a boyfriend, all had been shot. Cannon's father was visibly emotional as he spoke to reporters.
"He is a good kid," the victim's father, Lawrence Williams, said. "I mean, you know, he's married, he's tried… owner, operator trucker and he was trying."
Williams says his son, who lived in Oklahoma, has only been in New Castle for about two weeks and was staying with him. Williams said he did not know the people in the house where his son was killed.
"It's senseless," said Williams. "It doesn't make any kind of sense, no sense at all."
Police say four other children were in the house when officers were called there by a family member. Those children are now safe and in custody.
"Anytime there is a young child involved in a homicide, it's horrific for us. It's a hard case to process," Chief Salem said.
Amy Wadas' Report:
Neighbors say the mother and the children had lived in the house less than a month.
The family has established a GoFundMe account to pay for funeral expenses. If you would like to help them, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/costs-for-triple-homicide
State police are assisting in the investigation.
Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the New Castle Police Criminal Investigative Unit at 724-656-3538.