Witness ID, cellphone left at crime scene lead to charges in Stowe homicide

A cellphone left near the scene of a fatal shooting in Stowe this weekend, along with a witness, helped lead police to the Pittsburgh man they charged with pulling the trigger.

Curtis Horne-Baker, 34, of Pittsburgh’s Sheraden neighborhood, remained Monday in the Allegheny County Jail in connection with the shooting death early Sunday of Carlos Stanford, 39.

Horne-Baker was making noise outside a McKinnie Avenue home around 4:30 a.m. Sunday, a witness told Allegheny County Police, according to a criminal complaint. Stanford was sleeping inside.

The witness opened the front door and saw Horne-Baker carrying a gun in his left hand, the complaint said.

The witness closed the door and locked it, but Horne-Baker broke through the door, the complaint said.

“He is gonna die today,” Horne-Baker said, according to the complaint.

Horne-Baker then shot Stanford multiple times, hit the witness in the face and fled, police said.

Stanford died at the scene at 4:48 a.m., according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The witness, who police did not name, identified Horne-Baker as the assailant, the complaint said.

Investigators said they later found Horne-Baker’s cellphone on the porch and 13 spent bullet casings at the crime scene.

When police called Horne-Baker’s phone number, the cellphone rang, according to the complaint.

Allegheny County Police arrested Horne-Baker in Wilkinsburg on Sunday without incident.

He is charged with criminal homicide, burglary, simple assault, criminal trespassing and tampering with evidence.

Horne-Baker was arraigned early Monday and is being held without bail.

Horne-Baker also faces a firearms charge because he cannot lawfully own a gun, the complaint said.

He pleaded guilty to carrying a gun without a license in 2016 and 2021, court records show.

Horne-Baker’s attorney is not listed in court records.