Accomplice in plot recounts killing in Manor

Nathan Shank thought he was going to get a few hundred dollars when he and some friends ambushed William Teck of Hempfield along the railroad tracks in Manor.

Instead, Shank got $2 in quarters, some beer, toiletries and a murder charge that will keep him in jail for decades, he testified Thursday.

Shank described the plot against Teck on Thursday during the trial for Jason Maple of Penn Township, who is accused of gunning down Teck on May 30, 2006. After Maple fired one blast from a shotgun into Teck's back, Shank stole Teck's book bag, Shank testified.

"I thought we were going to rob Teck," Shank told the Westmoreland County jury.

Maple had other ideas, prosecutors contend.

He wanted to exact revenge from Teck, who was accused of threatening to rape Maple's girlfriend and ransacking her Greensburg apartment.

Witnesses said Maple told Shank; his brother, DeWayne Shank; and Ryan Bronowski of Penn Township that the plan was to fight and then rob Teck and his buddy, Patrick Altman, who were accused of taking drugs and $1,500 in cash from Jennifer Vinsek's apartment.

Nathan Shank testified Maple promised the men they could split the cash, drugs and guns so he could enlist their help in hunting down Teck. They traced him to Manor, where they stalked him down and eventually killed him on the railroad tracks.

Nathan Shank said Teck and Altman emerged from the Manor Diner, followed by Maple.

"He put his gun on his shoulder, walked around a tree and then I heard a shot," Shank testified. "At the last second, I saw Teck hit the ground. I heard him wheezing."

Maple ran after Altman, fired one shot and missed, witnesses said. Maple then went back to Teck's body and ordered Shank to get the victim's bloody book bag. Shank testified he had blood on his clothes, so he changed into a pair of Teck's pants on the drive home.

Hours later, Shank learned there was little of value in what he had stolen from Teck.

All he found were clothes, shaving cream, razors, beer, condoms and $2 in quarters.

Prosecutors contend the robbery was part of Maple's overall plan and an element needed to prove he is guilty of second-degree murder, a killing during the commission of another violent felony.

If convicted of first- or second-degree murder, Maple faces life in prison. That is the sentence being served by Vinsek, convicted in an earlier trial of second-degree murder.

Authorities contend Teck's slaying was premeditated. Vinsek, who dated Maple for about month before the shooting, had previously told her new boyfriend that Teck had threatened to rape her and had ransacked her apartment at least twice. The second time occurred just hours before Teck was shot.

The Shank brothers and Bronowski were charged with homicide. In exchange for their testimony against both Vinsek and Maple, they will be allowed to plead guilty to the less serious charge of third-degree murder.

Bronowski drove the Shanks to Manor and then drove Maple away after Teck was shot.

He told jurors yesterday he did not know that Maple planned to shoot Teck.

"He said he got what he wanted -- life," Bronowski testified

Maple warned Bronowski to keep quiet about the shooting. "Jason Maple said, 'When anyone messes with me and my family, I take care of it,'" Bronowski testified.

Bronowski will be cross-examined by defense attorney Mark Lancaster when the trial continues this morning before Judge Richard E. McCormick Jr.