Hempfield man to stand trial in friend's shooting death

A Hempfield man told investigators that he didn't have a phone to call for help after allegedly shooting Fidel Omar Velez, 27, once in the abdomen on Jan. 21.

But police found evidence to the contrary inside the Swede Hill Road home of 32-year-old Eric James Fennell.

“There were a few phones recovered from the residence,” Trooper Isaac Lanham testified on Monday during a preliminary hearing for Fennell.

Fennell was ordered to stand trial for homicide following the 17-minute hearing before District Judge Mark Mansour.

Fennell has claimed the shooting of his friend was an accident.

Police said Fennell's girlfriend drove Velez to Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital while Fennell rode in the backseat. Velez, who lived in Southwest Greensburg, was pronounced dead at the Greensburg hospital at 2:22 a.m.

Assistant District Attorney Leo Ciaramitaro said he couldn't comment on the possibility of additional charges in connection with an alleged marijuana-grow operation discovered when police executed search warrants at Fennell's home.

“That investigation is ongoing,” Ciaramitaro said outside court.

Velez's family members wiped away tears while listening to Lanhamtestify. Fennell initially told investigators that “he and Fidel had gone outside to shoot a pistol that Fidel had brought to the residence” when Velez's sister had left, Lanham testified.

They fired a few rounds, Fennell initially told police, but then the gun malfunctioned and discharged while Velez was holding it, the trooper said.

Fennell changed his story later when Lanham interviewed Fennell's 32-year-old girlfriend and Velez's sister, according to testimony.

Police recovered a .25-caliber pistol from Fennell's home that they believe was used in the shooting. It was not registered to anyone who was inside the home, Lanham testified.

Public Defender L.A. Smith argued that prosecutors presented no evidence that the shooting was a criminal act.

“I think what you have here is an unfortunate accident,” he said.

Ciaramitaro called the shooting negligent, rather than an accident.

“An accident infers that there's a problem with the firearm,” he said following the hearing. “We don't know whether it was or wasn't.”

Police said they seized multiple marijuana plants that were surrounded by heat lamps from Fennell's home. Investigators contended with several pets inside the home — including two snakes, gerbils, two large dogs and a tarantula — as they processed evidence.

Fennell is being held without bail in the Westmoreland County Prison.

Renatta Signorini is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reachedat 724-837-5374 orrsignorini@tribweb.com.