North Huntingdon man charged with double homicide in Penn Township killings

A North Huntingdon man is accused of killing a Penn Township man at his home as well as his girlfriend as she tried to escape early Monday, fulfilling what police say was “a grudge reconciliation weekend.”

Before District Judge Helen Kistler on Tuesday night, Victor Steban, 53, of North Thompson Lane, was arraigned on two counts of criminal homicide, burglary, robbery and firearms offenses. He displayed no remorse during the 15-minute proceedings and was placed in the Westmoreland County Prison without bond, pending a preliminary hearing.

Investigators said a friend on Monday morning found Jacob Erdeljac, 41, and Mara Casale, 27, shot to death at Erdeljac’s home near Bratkovich Road. District Attorney John Peck said they were shot either late Sunday after returning home from a motorcycle ride or early Monday morning.

Steban was laying in wait when they arrived, Peck said.

A Toyota Tacoma belonging to Erdeljac was stolen from the scene and found abandoned hours later in Manor, about 5 miles away. Steban’s vehicle was found Tuesday afternoon stuck in a field off the Claridge-Export Road, Penn Township Chief John Otto said.

Peck said that Steban told investigators he was angry at Erdeljac because of some dispute, or possibly disrespect that the victim may have shown Steban. The veteran prosecutor said he was not certain how the suspect and the victim knew each other.

As for Casale, Otto said that “there is every indication that she was a victim of circumstances.”

Peck said that she initially was wounded in the gunfire. After Erdeljac was shot off his motorcycle multiple times, Steban then fired additional shots at Casale who had fallen to the ground, according to the criminal complaint.

Steban said before his court appearance that his actions were “all about getting ‘Rooster,’” an apparent reference to Denis “Rooster” Katona, a former national leader of the Pagans motorcycle gang who served time in a federal prison. In 2014, he was convicted of drug charges in Westmoreland County court and sentenced to 40 months-to-80 months in prison.

As he was being led from Kistler’s office, Steban refused to say why he allegedly shot Erdeljac and Casale. He told the judge he was a drug dealer.

Westmoreland County Det. Randy Gardner said authorities believe Steban used an AR-15 rifle to kill the couple. They believe they have the weapon used in the shootings, but must await ballistic tests, Gardner said.

Duquesne Light Co. confirmed Tuesday that Erdeljac was employed as a transmission and distribution supervisor.

Erdeljac played football at Penn Hills High School, according to a Penn Hills football website, which had a photo of Erdeljac with his teammates.

His Facebook page had several photos of Erdeljac and his motorcycle trips, including one to Yosemite National Park in California. There is a photo of him and Casale at the wedding of Casale’s friend, according to the caption in the photo.

Casale, a Penn-Trafford graduate, worked as a barmaid and waitress at Ski’s & Nick’s Lounge, a neighborhood tavern along Route 130 in Harrison City.

“Everybody loved her. She was very friendly. She treated you like a friend, even if she did not know you,” said bar owner Nick Agona.

A double shooting is something you don’t think happens in Penn Township, Agona said.

“Everybody was really shook up about it,” he said.

Authorities apprehended Steban about 12:40 p.m. Tuesday on Route 30 near his North Thompson Lane home, which was damaged in a suspicious fire Saturday, state Trooper Stephen Limani confirmed.

Traffic was backed up westbound along Route 30 into Hempfield as township police and troopers set up a perimeter around North Thompson Lane near the Sheetz convenience store after receiving a tip. Traffic was slowed until after 1 p.m. as authorities were searching a package Steban was carrying when he was taken into custody as he was seen running along Route 30.

“We want to speak with him. We had three separate shootings in south Hempfield and Sewickley townships over the weekend, and we’ve developed information that he’s a suspect,” Limani said.

Less than two hours after identifying the North Huntingdon man as wanted for questioning in connection with the fatal shooting of two people in Penn Township, he was taken into custody.

Police Chief Robert Rizzo were searching for Steban, who he described as “armed and dangerous,” since the fire at 11 p.m. Saturday damaged his home. Rizzo said the fire has not been ruled an arson, but they did find weapons in his home and charged him with illegal possession of firearms.

Steban is a convicted felon prohibited from having guns. Authorities said he also is wanted for questioning in connection with a car explosion along the 1100 block of Clay Pike, also in North Huntingdon, that occurred 45 minutes after the fire at his home. The federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is assisting township police with that investigation and has offered a $5,000 reward for information.

Peck declined to comment on the investigation by North Huntingdon police and the ATF.

Three employees of Rain Remodeling and Restoration watched the wild pursuit unfold Tuesday on Route 30 outside the business. James Kibler said there was a state police helicopter flying low near the highway’s intersection with Arona Road and traffic was stopped.

Then, they spotted Steban on Route 30 while some motorists apparently fled their cars to get away.

“He appeared in the median, just like walking down,” Jessica Rain-Green said.

Police converged on Steban and took him into custody. They searched a camouflage backpack he was carrying and pulled out a gun.

“They held him on the ground for quite some time,” Kibler said.

“Of all the places to catch him,” said Stephanie Ankeny.

All three were relieved it ended peacefully.

“It’s just a little too close for comfort,” Rain-Green said. “I just feel safer that he’s gone.”