Oil City Woman Charged with Attempted Homicide Faces Hearing Next Week

| April 13, 2019

OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) – An Oil City woman charged with attempted homicide after allegedly firing a gun at a victim during a dispute at a North Street residence will stand for a hearing next week.

According to court documents, a preliminary hearing is set for 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 17, for 43-year-old Deania Holmes, of Oil City, in front of Magisterial District Judge Matthew T. Kirtland.

She has been charged with the following offenses:

  • Criminal Attempt – Criminal Homicide
  • Criminal Attempt – Aggravated Assault, Felony 1
  • Intimidate Witness/Victim – Refrain From Report, Felony 1
  • Discharge Of A Firearm Into Occupied Structure, Felony 3
  • Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Misdemeanor 2

She remains lodged in the Venango County Jail with bail denied and “Danger to self and others” and “Flight risk” listed as the bail action reasons.

Details of the case:

According to a criminal complaint filed by the Oil City Police Department, Patrolman Rosenberger was dispatched on Wednesday, April 10, around 2:24 a.m. to a residence on North Street for a report of a female yelling from inside a residence. Patrolman Karns advised Patrolman Rosenberger to go to the back of the home as he had seen a female that appeared to be attempting to flee the residence.

During the investigation, the female was taken into custody and transported back to the Oil City Police station.

According to the complaint, at the station, the known female asked Patrolman Rosenberger if she could talk to him about the incident that led to her being taken into custody. The woman began crying and stated she was shot at during a disturbance at the North Street residence.

During an interview with Patrolman Rosenberger, the female stated that she had been in a verbal argument with Deania Holmes and attempted to flee the residence through the basement door.

According to the complaint, the victim reported that while running towards the basement door, she heard a gunshot and “saw pieces of the door fly off in front of her.” She said Holmes then threatened her with bodily harm “should she make a report of the incident.”

Based on the interview, Patrolman Rosenberger applied for and was granted a search warrant for the residence. During the execution of the search warrant, officers located a 9mm shell casing as well as the bullet that was discharged by Holmes in the basement of the residence. The officers also located a box which previously contained a Ruger 9mm handgun that was located in a closet of the bedroom Holmes occupied.

Case Against Marcus Blackshear for receiving stolen property (firearm)

According to a criminal complaint, officers from the Oil City Police Department, Sugarcreek Borough Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police executed a search warrant for the North Street house.

While at the residence, 39-year-old Marcus Dejuae Blackshear, of Oil City, allegedly admitted to previously possessing the Ruger firearm within the last week or so.

Trooper Johnson, of PA State Police, learned that the firearm was previously stolen during an incident from Crawford County.

Blackshear was arraigned at 5:30 p.m. on April 10 in Judge Kirtland’s office on the following charge:

– Receiving Stolen Property, Felony 2

Blackshear is currently free on $35,000.00 monetary bail posted by a professional bondsman.

A preliminary hearing for Blackshear is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 17, with Judge Kirtland presiding.


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