A Carnegie man accused of killing a 70-year-old man at a homeless encampment in Scott last year was found not guilty Friday.
Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Bruce Beemer announced his verdict in the nonjury trial following three days of testimony, which began on Nov. 1.
Vendell Nasir III, 29, was charged with criminal homicide and tampering with evidence stemming from the Nov. 11, 2021 attack at the camp along Chartiers Creek.
Police charged Nasir with killing Joseph Williams, known by his friends as “Joe Wine,” after witnesses said they saw Nasir standing over Williams’ body, kicking it.
Williams had been stabbed in his head, back, chest, neck and face.
Officers found Nasir at the crime scene with blood on his hands and on his clothing.
In addition, they found bleeding wounds on Nasir’s hands.
However, during the trial, the defense focused on another witness who had been at the scene that day.
Curtis Greenwalt testified that he was inside a tent along Creek Street that day when he said he heard a dog barking . When he looked outside, Greenwalt said he saw Nasir standing over Williams kicking him.
Nasir left, and Greenwalt walked over to the body. He then told another friend in the tent, who called 911, and Greenwalt left.
As he made his way up the railroad tracks, Greenwalt said he spoke to two Scott police officers responding to the scene. He pointed them toward the body, and they allowed him to leave.
A few hours later when he learned detectives wanted to speak with him, Greenwalt said he returned to the area and went with them for questioning.
In reaching his decision, Beemer cited the circumstances that Greenwalt presented — his credibility, that he was missing for two hours and the fact that despite testimony that Nasir kicked the victim repeatedly, there was no blood on his shoes.
The judge also noted that the prosecution failed to present any connection between Nasir and the murder weapon, which was found about 30 feet away. There were no fingerprints, DNA or any witness seeing him with it, Beemer said.
