Rankin man convicted of murder in 2014 death

An Allegheny County jury found a Rankin man guilty of second-degree murder in a 2014 home-invasion homicide at the Hawkins Village housing complex.

Jake Knight, 21, was also found guilty of burglary and three counts of reckless endangerment. The second-degree murder verdict means the jury concluded he was participating in the felony home invasion when Lee Williams, 46, was shot and killed, even if Knight didn't pull the trigger.

Police and prosecutors said Knight and another man burst into a Hawkins Village apartment with guns drawn when Williams upended a table and one of the men shot him. Two of three witnesses said Knight was one of the masked invaders, and police recovered two guns, but defense attorney Richard Narvin said Knight's DNA wasn't on the gun linked to Williams' death.

Common Pleas Judge Edward Borkowski will sentence Knight on Nov. 17. The second suspect in the shooting has not been identified.

Matthew Santoni is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412 391 0927 or msantoni@tribweb.com.