Bloody fight in West Mifflin leads to death of 1 man, homicide charge for another

A West Mifflin man has been charged with criminal homicide in a bloody fight Saturday night that resulted in the death of another man who was staying at his home.

Allegheny County police said Mario Alejandro Perez Santos, no age given, was pronounced dead at the trailer home in the 1100 block of Thompson Run Road after authorities conducted a welfare check at the residence at about 10:45 p.m.

Police said Santos was found in the living room of the home, while resident Andy-Steven Nimajuan-Sitan, 20, who is charged in his death, was found lying on the floor. Both men were covered in blood, according to a complaint filed by police.

Police responded to the scene after bystanders reported hearing screaming from inside the trailer. Officers found blood on the outside of the trailer door, pooled in multiple places in the kitchen and smeared on a wall behind Santos, according to the complaint.

Nimajuan-Sitan had cuts on the palms of his hands and was taken by ambulance to Jefferson Hospital for treatment, police said.

Police said they were assisted by an interpreter when they interviewed Nimajuan-Sitan, who is not a native English speaker. According to the complaint, he told investigators that Santos — whom he knew only as “Alexis” — moved in with him after they had worked together in Maryland.

According to Nimajuan-Sitan’s account, as noted by police in the complaint, he and Santos had several alcoholic drinks after working outside the West Mifflin home on Saturday. Nimajuan-Sitan said that when he told Santos he didn’t want to continue drinking, Santos became angry, threatened to kill him and attacked him with a knife.

Nimajuan-Sitan told police that, to defend himself, he grabbed a bat and hit Santos several times. He said he stopped hitting Santos when he felt Santos’ blood pressure drop, according to the complaint.

Police recovered an aluminum bat found near Santos and a blood-stained knife from underneath Nimajuan-Sitan’s shoulder.

According to the complaint, county detectives noted Santos suffered “significant trauma” to his head and puncture wounds to his abdomen and back that were consistent with wounds typically made by a sharp-edged weapon.

Investigators said Nimajuan-Sitan didn’t mention those puncture wounds when he was being interviewed.

According to police, Nimajuan-Sitan was heard to say “he tried to kill me” and “just kill me” before he was taken from the scene.

Nimajuan-Sitan was taken to the Allegheny County Jail pending preliminary arraignment.