Published May 13, 2009 07:12 am - Three men are accused of killing a 19-year-old man in his apartment Monday night over an argument about marijuana, state police at Selinsgrove said.
Suspects sought victim over stolen marijuana
By Marcia Moore
The Daily Item
HUMMELS WHARF — Three men are accused of killing a 19-year-old man in his apartment Monday night over an argument about marijuana, state police at Selinsgrove said.
Charged in the killing of Steven Rodriguez, 19, of 2078 N. Susquehanna Trail, Apt. 2, Selinsgrove, are alleged shooter David Cannie Jr., 27, of Philadelphia; and two accomplices, Ibrahim Musa Wells, 25, of Mill Hall; and Abdul Malik Saeed Walker, 25, of 1740 Memorial Ave., Williamsport.
Wells told state police that Walker asked him to go to Selinsgrove to assist in confronting people who had stolen marijuana from him days earlier, a criminal complaint said.
The pair, along with Cannie, met at Walker’s girlfriend’s apartment in White Deer Commons in New Columbia and together the trio drove to Rodriguez’s apartment above the Rental Shop off Routes 11-15 at about 11:30 p.m. Monday.
All three went to the apartment armed, Cannie with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, Wells with a .22-caliber pistol and Walker with a shotgun, Snyder County District Attorney Michael Sholley said.
Rodriguez and at least three unidentified people were inside the apartment, Sholley said.
An argument erupted, Wells told police, and Walker struck Rodriguez, telling him, “You had done me wrong.”
Rodriguez was on the floor and attempting to get up when Cannie told him to stay down and shot him in the left thigh just above the knee, the complaint said.
Despite the gunshot wound, Rodriguez continued to approach Cannie, and Wells said he saw Cannie raise the weapon toward Rodriguez’s chest and then he heard a second shot.
The three suspects fled the apartment and in the car, Wells told police that Cannie said, “It’s done.”
After the shooting, they drove to a Lewisburg home owned by Walker’s relative and stashed the three weapons, the complaint said. The weapons were later recovered by police.
Witnesses at the apartment drove Rodriguez to Sunbury Community Hospital before calling 911 and describing the Plymouth they saw the suspects flee in.
Rodriguez was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound to the chest at 12:24 a.m. Tuesday by Dr. Catherine Rollins. An autopsy is scheduled for today at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown.
Lewisburg police spotted a vehicle fitting the description of the Plymouth traveling north on Route 15, the complaint said.
Cpl. Travis Burrows of the state police at Milton tried to stop the 1994 Plymouth Acclaim and a pursuit ensued.