East Pittsburgh woman found dead after Cambria inmate tips off police

A man jailed in Cambria County for a probation violation is accused of killing a woman in his East Pittsburgh basement earlier this month and taking off with her cellphone and credit card before confessing to a therapist two days ago, state police said Wednesday.

Delrico Trevo McClinton, 28, is charged with homicide in connection with the death of of 25-year-old Whitney Maleeca Lyn Boyer.

State police said they found Boyer’s body Monday after McClinton told a counselor at the Cambria County Jail he needed to speak with police. McClinton said he had killed a woman he knew only as Whitney in his home on Maple Street, police said.

State police in Pittsburgh went to the Maple Street home at about 2 p.m. Monday. No one answered the door. Police said neighbors complained of a foul odor in the area. Officers went in through the front door, which they said was ajar, and found Boyer dead near a pool of blood near the bottom of the basement stairs.

Police said McClinton told them he had met Boyer early June 1 and took her back to his house. He said they had consensual sex, after which he killed her, according to police.

He used her credit or debit card to buy cigarettes at a nearby gas station and then went to the Walmart store in North Versailles where he used Boyer’s card to get $200 in cash, police said. He told police he also used her cellphone to call a Lyft driver.

The Maple Street home was rented to McClinton’s ex-girlfriend, who told police she hadn’t been to the house in more than a month because of “personal reasons,” according to the report. She said McClinton had stayed at the house but she told him in late May he was “absolutely” not allowed to continue staying there.

In addition to one count of homicide, McClinton is charged with theft and trespassing. It was not immediately clear when he would be transported to Allegheny County.