Police say car deal went sour, led to man's death
A Pittsburgh man who died from the injuries he suffered in a fight in Indiana two weeks ago was attempting to buy a car from a woman well-known to area law enforcement authorities.
Samuel Henley, 21, went to Indiana to buy a car from Nicole Wannett, 21, of Indiana. Borough police said they have had dealings with Wannett, and court records show that she has twice gone on probation for crimes for which she pleaded guilty.
Police are seeking Demetrius Thornton, 22, of 129 N. Fourth St., Indiana, and have charged him in connection with Henley's death, which occurred Tuesday. Thornton and Henley got into a fight about the car, and the injuries Henley sustained caused his death, police said.
Henley and Tierra Pope, no age or address given, drove to Indiana on June 14 to meet with Wannett at a car dealership on Water Street. Pope and Henley also were planning to obtain an insurance estimate for pre-existing damage to the vehicle, according to an affidavit.
Pope told police that she was in the car when Thornton arrived. Thornton punched Henley several times in the back before the Pittsburgh man fell to the ground and was kicked.
Borough police filed charges of unauthorized use of vehicles against Pope on June 23. Wannett reported that Pope had taken the vehicle and not returned it. Wannett mentioned that a fight had occurred between her boyfriend, who police knew as Thornton, and Henley, but found that incident to be irrelevant to the charges.
Several employees at the car dealership, Delaney Chevrolet on Water Street, witnessed the fight, according to the affidavit.
Lehawn Henley, Henley's sister, called borough police Tuesday to report that her brother was in critical condition and might die. Henley went to a Pittsburgh hospital a few days after the fight for treatment of a broken jaw and other injuries. After surgery, he developed other complications, which caused organ failure and pneumonia.
Henley was pronounced dead at 9:25 a.m. Tuesday by Dr. Ronald Stiller, who cited the cause as complications from a jaw fracture. Officials from the Allegheny County Coroner's Office, who performed an autopsy Wednesday, said they will determine the cause and manner of death pending toxicology and other test results.
The state Attorney General's Office filed charges against Wannett in 2002 when she allegedly made off with cash intended for a drug bust.
An undercover agent and a confidential informant arranged to meet Wannett at a Gompers Avenue apartment. Wannett said she could obtain cocaine and Ecstasy from someone at the Carriage House Apartments on Oakland Avenue and 13th Street.
The agent gave Wannett $2,500 to purchase the drugs, and Wannett agreed to meet the agent in the stairwell once the deal was complete. However, while the informant and the agent were waiting, they saw Wannett run out the opposite side of the building and across the street. She jumped into a Ford sedan, which sped off.
Wannett pleaded guilty and was sentenced in July 2003 to two years' probation, which included house arrest and electronic monitoring for nine months. That sentence was suspended March 8 for "reasons of maternity," according to a court order, but was repealed 10 days later.
Wannett also pleaded guilty to possession of a small amount of marijuana in 2003. While responding to a domestic dispute involving a firearm in 2001, police found Wannett in possession of a small pouch containing marijuana and cocaine residue.
Wannett was sentenced to 30 days' probation in that incident. There are no charges on record against Thornton in Indiana County.
