Suspect charged in shooting of Jefferson Hills Motel owner
Allegheny County police filed charges against a man who they say killed a popular Jefferson Hills businessman in a robbery three months ago.
Derrick “Chino” Gallaway, 50, cooked up a plan to rob Jefferson Hills Motel owner Dehnad “Chief” Taiedi while using methamphetamine with another man staying at the motel, police said.
Gallaway shot Taiedi in the head during a struggle at the motel's front desk, police said.
When officers arrived, they found items strewn about the office and a surveillance camera missing. Police did not say what else, if anything, had been taken.
DNA evidence and statements from two witnesses helped them identify Gallaway, police said.
He was charged Friday with homicide, robbery, illegal gun possession, theft and tampering with evidence.
Gallaway remained at large as of Saturday. Police did not list an address for him. A detailed description of him was not available.
A woman who answered the phone at the motel referred questions to the motel's owner, who did not return a message.
Taiedi and his wife, Linda, bought the motel in 2001. They also owned the Baldwin nightclub Someplace Else and Saddlebrook Stables in South Park.
Taiedi's wife died in 2013.
At the time of his killing in May, musicians who performed at the Baldwin nightclub described Taiedi as a generous man who befriended many of the musicians who played at the club. They dubbed him “The Rockfather.”
A 1977 article in The Washington Post said Taiedi, the son of a retired Iranian general, had been a businessman since the 1960s, owning nightclubs in Washington, D.C., and a dry-cleaning business in Pittsburgh.
Less than two weeks after his slaying, family members held an emotional news conference to plead for information that would help police identify the killer.
His daughter, Kimberly Taiedi Francis, offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Francis, who lives in Virginia, could not be reached for comment Saturday.
At the June news conference, Francis said her father's proudest moment was becoming an American citizen after he immigrated to the United States from Iran more than 50 years ago.
“He had a heart of gold,” she said.
Tom Fontaine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-320-7847 or tfontaine@tribweb.com.
