Suspect in custody in fast-food restaurant robbery, slaying near Edinboro

EDINBORO — A suspect is behind bars in the shooting death of an employee during an attempted robbery of a fast-food restaurant in northwestern Pennsylvania during the weekend, state police said.

Officers were called to a Wendy’s in Washington Township near Edinboro shortly after 2 p.m. Saturday and found an employee shot in the leg and abdomen, police in Erie County said. Troopers said Sunday that Alexander Cavanah, 22, was pronounced dead shortly afterward at UPMC Hamot.

Police said the suspect was wearing a ski mask and a motorcycle helmet, but the helmet fell off during a struggle with the victim and he fled on a motorcycle. Troopers said in an affidavit of probable cause that the FBI developed information associating the motorcycle with a black BMW.

That vehicle was spotted at an intersection and troopers used stop sticks to halt it on Interstate 90, arresting two men, one of whom was wearing a rolled-up ski mask, police said. An apartment was searched and two 9 mm pistols seized, they said. Investigators said they had also located a motorcycle arrested three other suspects.

Markese Lampley, 20, is charged with first- and second-degree murder, robbery, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and other offenses. He was arraigned Sunday and ordered held without bail; court documents don’t list an attorney and a listed phone number for him couldn’t be found Sunday.

Homicide-Robbery suspect in custody. State Police criminal investigators have charged Markese Lampley (age 20) of Erie PA with Murder, Robbery and numerous other charges. Lampley was taken into custody after a police pursuit. PSP is committed to seeking justice for the victim. pic.twitter.com/oOELFj5P2U

— Troopers Cindy Schick & Michelle McGee (@PSPTroopEPIO) January 26, 2020