Braddock man pleads to 2019 Arnold homicide

A Braddock man will spend at least 18 years in prison after pleading guilty Monday to killing another in Arnold nearly two years ago.

Allen Duwayne Herring, 34, admitted that he killed Gregory Ray Wynkoop, 35, of East Franklin, on June 28, 2019, in an attempted robbery.

Wynkoop, a heavy equipment operator, had three children.

He died from a single gunshot wound and was found near a car in the 1500 block of Kenva Alley — between North and McCandless streets.

Herring was arrested in connection with the homicide about 10 days later after an extensive search — including police, bloodhounds and a helicopter — revealed him hiding in a wooded area near the Lower Burrell-New Kensington border.

Herring pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and being a person not permitted to possess a firearm.

The plea agreement, accepted by Westmoreland County Judge Christopher A. Feliciani, called for 18 to 40 years on the homicide count and an additional 10 years of probation to run consecutively on the gun charge.

Assistant District Attorney Peter Caravello said Wynkoop’s mother attended and gave a victim impact statement during the plea hearing.

Edie Wynkoop told Feliciani she hopes that Herring uses his time in prison to learn from his mistakes and better himself, Caravello said.

Herring apologized to the Wynkoop family and said he didn’t intend to kill the victim, the prosecutor said. No one from Herring’s family spoke on his behalf.

Caravello said the plea agreement helps to provide closure to the victim’s family and allows them to move forward and avoid the risk of going to trial.