Police charge 19-year-old with murder of McKeesport father

MCKEESPORT, Pa. — Police said on Friday that they now have a suspect in a deadly home invasion in McKeesport that left a father of two dead earlier this week.

Police arrested and jailed Talon Michael Perozich, 19, of White Oak, on Thursday on unrelated charges to the deadly home invasion. On Friday, Allegheny County Police said Perozich had been charged with criminal homicide, criminal attempt homicide, two counts of aggravated assault, firearms violations, burglary and two counts of recklessly endangering another person.

According to police, McKeesport officers were dispatched to 2611 Versailles Ave. on Wednesday around 5:30 a.m. for the report of at least one person invading a home.

Police said the Perozich kicked down the couple’s bedroom door and blindly fired five shotgun blasts into their dark room.

When officers arrived, they found Brian Cook, 24, fatally shot in his bed with his girlfriend Stephanie Pavlovic, who was also seriously wounded. Pavlovic was taken to an area hospital with a gunshot wound to the hand.

The couple’s 1-year-old child was also present during the home invasion but was not harmed.

According to police, Perozich’s motive is murky, but Channel 11’s Renee Kaminski confirmed that the murder was over $200.

When Channel 11’s Kaminski went to Perozich’s parents’ house where he lives for a comment on Friday, no one answered the door.

However, Cook’s family found some relief in knowing that his killer has been caught.

“I’m so glad they got my brother’s killer,” said Melissa McPherson, 19, Cook’s sister. “He was a very good brother. He didn’t deserve to go like that.”

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