CLAIRTON, Pa. — Homicide charges have been filed in the deadly shooting of an 18-year-old pregnant woman over the summer.
Ja’el Torres was shot and killed at a Clairton apartment building on July 13. She was eight months pregnant, due in August.
Now, Tyjeir Anthony Williams-Cunningham, 21, and Darryl Pirl, 19, have been charged with killing Torres and her unborn baby.
A second person, Calid Pettiford, was also shot inside the apartment but survived.
Detectives were able to identify a vehicle connected to the shooting and determined it belonged to Williams-Cunningham. Police said they used surveillance video, cell phone data and license plate reader technology to determine Williams-Cunningham and Pirl were responsible.
According to the criminal complaint, the shooting was in retaliation for a shooting in Duquesne the day before.
Last month, Pettiford was charged with the July 12 shooting in Duquesne. Police said Pettiford fired a gun into a car that a 17-year-old was driving at the intersection of Kennedy Avenue and South Seventh Street. The teen was hit in his shoulder and crashed nearby.
Both Williams-Cunningham and Pirl are facing charges of criminal homicide, criminal homicide of an unborn child, criminal conspiracy and aggravated assault.
Pirl is currently in federal custody on unrelated charges. Williams-Cunningham is currently in the Allegheny County Jail.
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