McKEESPORT, Pa. — Police have arrested a 24-year-old man in connection with the discovery of a badly decomposed body at an abandoned house in McKeesport.
The body was found about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in a house on Jenny Lind Street, Allegheny County police said.
Shawn Thomas Jr., 24, of Clairton, was charged Tuesday with criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse and access device fraud.
The victim was identified as 46-year-old Jerry Kunes of McKeesport, who was reported missing in September.
Police said Thomas told them that he used a plastic bag to suffocate Kunes with a plastic bag after Kunes made an unwanted sexual advance toward him. Thomas told officers that he was friends with Kunes, who sold him drugs.
After the killing, Thomas wrapped Kunes' body in blankets and took his corpse in a shopping cart to an abandoned home in McKeesport, police said.
"It's bizarre to hear about that, because I stay right here on the street, but if I was to see a shopping cart coming up the street, I wouldn't have thought anything of it," said DuJuan Williamson, who lives nearby. "Just maybe he was collecting cans."
Police said Thomas also admitted to using Kunes' ATM card to withdraw funds from his bank account.
Stay with Channel 11 News and WPXI.com for continuing coverage.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Cox Media Group
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