Two Indiana County men posted a video of themselves on social media boasting that they planned to shoot a man just hours before the victim was killed March 25, Indiana Borough police allege.
Detective John Scherf filed charges of conspiracy to commit homicide, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment this week against a second suspect, Matthew James Ohler Jr., 19, of Indiana, in connection with the fatal shooting of Carlos Eduardo Recalde-Campos, 21.
Recalde-Campos, also known as “Adu,” was shot at least twice outside an Oakland Avenue residence at 1:39 a.m. and died about five hours later in UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh.
Samantha Jo Riley, 20, was shot in the rib cage during the incident and was treated at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown.
Scherf filed the charges against Ohler after recovering a video that shows him and the shooter, Matthew T. McNevin, 20, of Rayne, Indiana County, boasting about planning to shoot “Adu” the evening of March 24, according to an affidavit filed before Homer City District Judge Susanne Steffee.
Ohler was ordered held in the county prison without bond after his arraignment.
McNevin was charged with homicide, assault and other charges shortly after the shooting that occurred during a party at an Oakland Avenue residence. Police have charged McNevin with firing shots into a crowd standing near the front porch.
Witnesses told Scherf that Ohler and McNevin produced a video that was posted on Snapchat inside a vehicle as they drove around Indiana looking for the victim.
“Ohler used his cellphone to produce a video of the males yelling at Carlos Recalde-Campos, also known as Adu. The video was titled, ‘Keep Running Adu,' ” Scherf wrote in the affidavit.
“While the video was being produced (by Ohler), McNevin (was filmed) waving a pistol around in the back seat. One of the witnesses (said) the gun was actually Matthew Ohler's gun and that Ohler buys and sells stolen guns,” Scherf wrote.
Scherf said police recovered the .40-caliber handgun used to shoot Recalde-Campos, and it had been reported as stolen. Ohler faces no firearm charges.
A day before the shooting, Scherf alleges that witnesses told him McNevin and Ohler had stopped at another residence saying they were looking for Recalde-Campos and planned to shoot him. Others told Scherf they saw the video.
The dispute stemmed from an altercation the previous week among the trio, according to court documents.
Scherf reported that after the shooting Ohler was found hiding behind a nearby pizza shop. During an interview with police, Ohler admitted that McNevin told him “he would get Recalde-Campos and motioned toward the gun.”
McNevin is being held in the county jail without bail.
Paul Peirce is a reporter for the Tribune-Review. Reach him at 724-850-2860, ppeirce@tribweb.com or via Twitter @ppeirce_trib.
