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Witnesses: Suspect 'covered in blood' after murders of ex-girlfriend and her grandma

PITTSBURGH — A man whose ex-girlfriend and her grandmother were found slain in an East Hills home has been charged with two counts of homicide and one count of kidnapping.

Cesar Mazza is accused of killing 19-year-old Tionna Banks and 72-year-old Valerie Crumpton, who were found dead inside a home on Karl Street May 7.

According to the police criminal complaint obtained by Channel 11 News, a witness told police Mazza returned to his mother's house covered in blood that day. His young son was also covered in blood, according to witnesses.

Mazza allegedly told the witness the blood was his, and that Banks had tried to stab him.

Banks had 15 stab wounds as well as fractured bones, while her grandmother had trauma to her head and body, according to the police paperwork. No weapon was identified.

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The police paperwork also shows Banks tried to get a restraining order against Mazza in December after she claimed he threatened to kill her and her family.

Staff members at Gwen's Girls, the women's shelter where Banks was staying, told police they heard Mazza threaten to kill her on several occasions.

They knew something was wrong when Banks did not return after receiving a weekend pass.

Mazza was brought back to Pittsburgh earlier this week, after fighting extradition from New Jersey following his arrest in a separate case involving Banks.

He was arrested in May near his hometown, after being accused of missing a trial on charges he assaulted Banks when she was pregnant.

In that case, Mazza was accused of punching Banks, knocking her to the ground and repeatedly stomping on her when she was five months pregnant last November.

Police said the dispute arose after Banks refused to name the baby after Mazza.

Mazza remained in the Allegheny County Jail Wednesday and was scheduled to have a bond hearing on the previous charges Wednesday afternoon.

WPXI

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