Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 106

Brian C. Rittmeyer
Brian C. Rittmeyer
Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
Cop killer Rahmael Holt’s execution could be years away, experts say
Convicted cop killer Rahmael Holt’s appeal of his death sentence to the state Supreme Court could take a year to 18 months to resolve, says a Westmoreland County attorney representing another convicted killer on Pennsylvania’s death row. It may take even longer to be carried out, as there are people...
Arguments in Tarentum billboard case rescheduled
An Allegheny County judge has rescheduled oral arguments in the case of a company fighting to put up a billboard in Tarentum. Arguments are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Nov. 21 in Courtroom 7 on the 7th floor of the City-County Building in Downtown Pittsburgh, according to an order signed by...
Convicted cop killer Rahmael Holt sentenced to death 
A Westmoreland County jury sentenced convicted cop killer Rahmael Holt to death after deliberating for less than three hours Thursday afternoon. The same jury on Tuesday convicted Holt, 31, of shooting and killing New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw after an attempted traffic stop two years ago. “One year, 11...
Officer Brian Shaw’s mother to Rahmael Holt: ‘I will never forgive you’ 
Lisa Shaw says she is still waiting to wake up from the nightmare of losing her son, New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw. “All he wanted to do was make a difference in the community,” Shaw told jurors Wednesday on the first day of the sentencing hearing of Rahmael Holt,...
Jury finds Rahmael Holt guilty of killing New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw
A Westmoreland County jury found Rahmael Holt guilty on all counts of killing New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw following an attempted traffic stop two years ago. The jury reached its verdict in less than 90 minutes after closing arguments Tuesday. “A verdict like this doesn’t bring Brian back, but...
Prosecution expected to rest in trial of accused cop killer Rahmael Holt
Prosecutors are expected to rest their case Tuesday against alleged New Kensington cop killer Rahmael Holt, but it remained unknown Monday whether Holt would take the stand in his defense. Holt is accused of killing New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw after a traffic stop on the city’s Leishman Avenue...
New memorial to Valley High School veterans dedicated 
It’s not yet mission accomplished, but significant progress was made on a new memorial honoring veterans who have attended — and will attend — Valley High School in New Kensington. Enough of the new “Veterans of Valley High Memorial” was completed in time for a dedication ceremony on Monday, Veterans...
Single-digit wind chills in forecast for Pittsburgh region
A record-breaking bitter cold snap and a bit of snow are on tap for the Pittsburgh region Tuesday. Temperatures during the day and into the night Tuesday will be about 20 degrees below normal, National Weather Service meteorologist Shannon Hefferan said. After a high in the 50s on Monday, the...
Gas prices edge downward in Pittsburgh, nationally
Gas prices dropped in Pittsburgh and across the nation over the past week, according to the price-tracking website GasBuddy.com. In the Pittsburgh region, gas prices were down 2.9 cents per gallon to an average of $2.80, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 731 stations. That’s 3.8 cents per gallon less than...
Day 5: DNA, bullets take spotlight in Rahmael Holt murder trial 
No DNA or fingerprints place Rahmael Holt at the scene of New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw’s murder, according to testimony Friday in Holt’s ongoing capital murder case in Westmoreland County Court. Testimony from another expert witness called into question the ability of a witness to identify the type of...
Bullet casings found at Brian Shaw shooting came from .40-caliber gun, detective testifies
Slain New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw died primarily from blood loss caused by two gunshot wounds, a forensic pathologist testified Thursday, the fourth day of the trial of his accused killer, Rahmael Holt. Shaw was hit by three bullets the night of Nov. 17, 2017, after he tried to...
Day 3: Witness testifies he twice saw Rahmael Holt with a gun
A man who shared a house with accused New Kensington cop killer Rahmael Holt testified Wednesday that he twice saw Holt with a gun. Michael Luffey, 35, was the lead witness to testify for the prosecution on the third day of Holt’s capital murder trial before Westmoreland County President Judge...
Driver of SUV stopped night New Kensington Officer Brian Shaw was fatally shot testifies during trial’s 2nd day
Rahmael Holt jumped from an SUV the night he allegedly shot New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw because its driver wouldn’t let him hide his gun in the vehicle, according to testimony Tuesday on the second day of Holt’s trial in Westmoreland County. Tavon Harper, 29, the driver of the...
Emotions high as trial of New Kensington officer’s accused killer begins
Rahmael Sal Holt insists he didn’t kill New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw two years ago, but his lawyers won’t have to prove or say who did, according to a legal expert who identified a potential defense strategy for the capital murder trial slated to start Monday morning. Bruce Antkowiak,...
Vo-tech in New Kensington looks to attract students with open house 
Brandon Meanor was working as a carpenter before graduating from high school — and bought a house not long after. He was able to do that with the training and experience he gained as a student at Northern Westmoreland Career & Technology Center in New Kensington. He didn’t want to...
6 cars damaged, destroyed by fire in Harmar hotel parking lot 
High winds contributed to several cars being damaged or destroyed when one caught fire in a Harmar hotel parking lot Friday morning. The fire at the Hampton Inn on Freeport Road was reported around 6:30 a.m., according to Allegheny County 911. The fire was not far from the front entrance...
Blight, redevelopment major issues for Tarentum Council candidates
Tarentum voters will fill five seats on the seven- member borough council this year. Voters across the borough will have a choice to make for one at-large representative, between Democrat Carrie Fox and Republican Tiffany Babinsack. There’s also a choice in the 1st Ward, between incumbent Democrat Erika Josefoski and Republican...
Hite Road bridge over Route 28 to close Friday night
The bridge on Hite Road over Route 28 in Springdale Township and Harmar will be closed this weekend, PennDOT announced Wednesday. The bridge is scheduled to be closed to traffic from 8 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday. The bridge is being rehabilitated. Crews this weekend will be removing traffic...
New Kensington-Arnold School Board: Who’s running, what’s at stake
Seven people are running for six open seats on the New Kensington-Arnold School Board. The only contested race is in the district’s Region I, where incumbent Eric Doutt, a Democrat, is facing two challengers, Republican Deborah Schreckengost and Terry Schrock, who is cross-filed on both party ballots. In Region II,...
Judge schedules arguments in Tarentum billboard case
An Allegheny County judge has scheduled oral arguments in the case of a company fighting to put up a billboard in Tarentum. Arguments are scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, in courtroom 7 on the 7th floor of the City-County Building in Downtown Pittsburgh, the order signed by Judge...
Harrison seeking bids to tear down 2 houses
Harrison is seeking bids to tear down two vacant, dilapidated houses in the township. The houses, both two-stories, are located at 1525 Union Ave. and 2602 Monroe St. The township has previously planned to take down a third house, at 1204 Cambridge St. It was removed from the project after...
Jury set for trial of man accused of killing New Kensington Officer Brian Shaw 
A jury of 12 plus four alternatives is complete for the capital murder trial of accused cop killer Rahmael Holt. Jury selection lasted two days and wrapped up just before 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. Holt, 31, of Harrison is accused of shooting and killing New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw following...
First 9 jurors selected for trial of accused cop killer Rahmael Holt
Attorneys selected nine people Monday to be jurors in the capital murder trial of accused cop killer Rahmael Holt. Holt, 31, of Harrison, is accused of fatally shooting New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw following a Nov. 17, 2017, traffic stop. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty...
Lack of subs leaves New Kensington-Arnold science class without teacher
New Kensington-Arnold School District will wrap up its first nine-week grading period Wednesday, and an eighth-grade science class in the district hasn’t had a teacher yet. Jessica Revilla said that has driven her daughter to tears. Instead of learning about science, she said her daughter has had a study hall...
Valley High School veterans memorial on-track for Veterans Day dedication 
More than 60 people have been nominated for a new memorial to veterans who attended Valley High School in New Kensington. Nominations are being sought as work continues on the memorial outside the front of the school. Organizers expect it to be ready for a dedication on Veterans Day, said...


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