Judge says Greensburg shooting suspects exceeded expectations after posting bond

In the five years since Daishawn Stikkel and Nathan Childs were released from Westmoreland County Prison, their lives have significantly changed.

Both men were charged with attempted homicide in connection with a shooting in March 2016 in Greensburg and had been behind bars for about five months before they posted $100,000 bonds in early 2017.

In court on Monday, Stikkel and Childs told a Westmoreland County judge just how different their lives have become.

Childs, 27, of Jeannette, said he went to school and has since become a certified vehicle mechanic and works at a local dealership. Stikkel, 28, of Jeannette, opened a barbershop.

“I want to congratulate both of you. It was a horrible situation you put yourselves in and both of you have demonstrated you are now constructive citizens,” said Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani. “This is an argument for not keeping people in jail. They have exceeded my expectations and are doing what they should have been doing all along.”

Both men pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of aggravated assault as prosecutors agreed to dismiss the attempted homicide counts each faced.

The judge sentenced Childs and Stikkel to serve up to 23 months in jail and two additional years on probation. They were both given credit for the time they served behind bars following their arrest and paroled on Monday.

Police said Stikkel and Childs broke into the Greensburg home of Iszac Dallar as an act of retaliation for an alleged domestic assault. According to court records, the men believed Dallar was criminally charged with an assault of a woman identified as Stikkel’s aunt and the mother of Childs’ child.

At a preliminary hearing in 2017, Dallar testified he was awakened by the sound of the men breaking into his home and was shot in the left hip and knee when he investigated the noise.

Assistant District Attorney Pete Caravello said Dallar was arrested and jailed late last week on unrelated charges, initially delayed identifying his attackers to police and previously stated he was reluctant to testify against Childs and Stikkel. The prosecution asked the judge to sentence Childs and Stikkel to house arrest.

“Mr. Dallar has his flaws but he was shot in this case,” Caravello said.