PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA: It has been five years since Rachael DelTondo was fatally shot in her parent's driveway in May 2018. Although the murder garnered interest from all around the US, no one was ever brought to justice regarding the incident.
However, after all these years, the Beaver County district attorney has finally named a person of interest in the case. The district attorney is confirming what most people already believe and that is Sheldon Jeter is the "prime suspect."
Who is Sheldon Jeter?
Following the murder, Jeter, who was the boyfriend of Rachael at that time, quickly came to the limelight and was interrogated by the authorities and became the primary focus of the investigation after other potential suspects were ruled out.
District Attorney David Lozier confirmed after five years, telling WPXI, "Sheldon Jeter is the prime suspect though we don't have enough evidence to make an arrest. We are seeking help from the public and will be opening up new avenues such as offering a reward for new information."
Lozier said investigators have compiled a strong circumstantial case including GPS and surveillance camera evidence, even though there were no eyewitnesses and never recovered a murder weapon. The attorney claimed that the footage showed Jeter stalking DelTondo before claiming her life.
Lozier also added that he will be unsealing the warrants and disclosing the evidence, but he cannot place the suspect directly on the scene and is urging anyone who can come forward.
"I can't put him in the driveway beyond a reasonable doubt. Somebody out there knows something. Somebody knows something to affirm what happened," he said.
The evidence against Jeter was presented before a state grand jury
The evidence against Jeter was presented before a state grand jury which did not return an indictment. Meanwhile, he was tried and convicted for the murder of his friend Tyric Pugh.
However, the suspect's attorney Michael Santicola, said Lozier's statement only proves his incapability to build a credible case against the client. "To me it begs of desperation on behalf of the district attorney's office," said Santicola.
Why the district attorney is making such allegations against Jeter?
It has been claimed that the district attorney is finally making these statements because he faces re-election in November. His opponent in the upcoming election claims that his statements are nothing short of political.
"I don't think there's any coincidence to the timing of this, the fact that the election is less than three months away," said district attorney candidate Nathan Bible.
Nathan Bible, the Democratic nominee for district attorney says the lack of prosecution is an issue and Lozier's abrupt claims are only a way to avoid criticism.
"This is certainly a black mark on his record as a DA. I think there's a lot of unanswered questions about it, and I think this is his way of trying to throw something up there and hoping it sticks," Bible said.
The Democratic nominee further added that if Jeter is charged, Lozier's statements could jeopardize his right to a fair trial. "After a statement like this, I don't see how this case could be tried in Beaver County," Bible said.