A series of witnesses told a Westmoreland County jury on Tuesday that the cousin of the man convicted of killing New Kensington police officer Brian Shaw was in and out of a nearby city home the shooter ran to after the 2017 murder.

Michael Luffey, 35, one of a group of people who lived in the Victoria Avenue home, testified in the second day in the trial of Lisa Harrington that a day after Shaw was gunned down following an attempted traffic stop she removed an object wrapped in brown bag from the home’s basement.

Prosecutors contend that object was the gun used by Rahmael Sal Holt to kill Shaw.

Harrington, 33, of New Kensington, is on trial on charges she helped Holt evade capture and disposed of the suspected murder weapon. Holt, 31, of Harrison was convicted in November of first-degree murder for Shaw’s killing and was sentenced to death.

The gun used to kill Shaw was never recovered by police.

During an abbreviated court session on Tuesday, three witnesses who lived in the home testified Harrington was at the Victoria Avenue house when Holt appeared minutes after the shooting and then drove him away. Luffey and others also testified Harrington returned a day later when, police contend, she went into the basement to retrieve the murder weapon.

Luffey’s fiancee, Holly Clemons, 25, of Vandergrift, told jurors Harrington was at the home when she heard shots ring out. Holt arrived shortly thereafter frantic and pacing before she drove him away, Clemons said.

Clemons testified Harrington came back to the house a day later with a group of children and carried a black purse. She said she could not see what Harrington did when she arrived but that after a few minutes she left alone. Harrington returned about 15 minutes later, Clemons said.

She told jurors her roommate, Lakita Caine, explained what occurred.

“I asked what she (Harrington) was here for and she said Lisa had to come and get (Holt’s) gun,” Clemons testified.

Caine, 42, pleaded guilty in 2018 to charges she hindered Holt’s apprehension. She was sentenced to serve three-to-seven years in prison.

Harrington has denied the allegations she helped Holt leave New Kensington following the shooting and charges she disposed of the suspected murder weapon.

In pretrial filings, her defense lawyer suggested Harrington could not have gone into a basement to retrieve a gun. The defense claimed Harrington is afraid of basements because of a childhood trauma.

Prosecutors are expected to complete the case against Harrington when the trial resumes Wednesday morning.

Westmoreland County Court Judge Rita Hathaway told jurors they could begin deliberations in the case Wednesday afternoon.

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