NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. — A New Kensington man has been charged with criminal homicide in connection with the 2023 shooting death of Troy Vickers Jr., Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli announced.
Raijon Wilson, of New Kensington, is facing charges including criminal homicide, first-degree murder, possession of a firearm prohibited, and terroristic threats. Authorities said Wilson is currently incarcerated at the Westmoreland County Prison on unrelated charges.
The case stems from an incident on Oct. 19, 2023, when New Kensington police responded to the 1000 block of Kenneth Avenue for reports of an unresponsive man found on the front porch of a residence.
Officers identified the victim as Troy Vickers Jr., who was suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. Vickers was transported to a Pittsburgh-area hospital and placed on life support before being pronounced dead on Oct. 21, 2023. His death was later ruled a homicide.
Investigators determined that Vickers and Wilson had previously argued at a local bar several months before the shooting. Witnesses told detectives the two men had ongoing animosity and were involved in several altercations in the months leading up to the incident.
During the investigation, detectives reviewed surveillance footage showing Wilson driving through New Kensington streets before arriving near Kenneth Avenue. Video reportedly shows Wilson parking and walking toward the 1000 block of Kenneth Avenue around the time Vickers is believed to have been shot.
Within about three minutes, investigators said Wilson was seen returning to his vehicle and driving away.
Authorities also recovered motion-activated surveillance video with audio from a nearby intersection about 300 yards from the victim’s home. Detectives reviewing the footage reported hearing two gunshots around 10:49 a.m. on the day of the shooting.
Officials noted that Wilson has a prior felony conviction and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The investigation was conducted by New Kensington police and Westmoreland County detectives. The case will proceed through the Westmoreland County court system.