Police probe link of Adams death to Pittsburgh shooting
ADAMS TWP — The home where a 42-year-old woman was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head on Wednesday is the same location where a man suspected of shooting several members of a black motorcycle club — killing one — was arrested in September.
This development has led investigators with the state police in Butler to seek the help of Pittsburgh authorities in trying to find the killer of Tara Sherri Bouie, 42, whose body was discovered in the house she was renting at 110 Tenacity Trail. Bouie is African American.
Relatives who got a call to check on Bouie found her dead of a gunshot to her head about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.
They also found Bouie’s 5-month-old daughter in a child’s seat next to the body. The child was unhurt.
Neighbors on Tenacity Trail said Bouie had moved into the house several months ago. She had lived in the Pittsburgh area.
Authorities said that Kenneth Harrison, an African American also of Pittsburgh, is the child’s father.
Butler County District Attorney said the house showed no signs of a forced entry, and no weapon was found.
About six weeks ago, Harrison was at the house when U.S. marshals and Allegheny County sheriff’s deputies surrounded it on Sept. 17 and arrested Harrison, charging him with homicide, and five counts each of attempted homicide and aggravated assault.
Jon Gallagher, a supervisor with the U.S. Marshal Service’s Western Pennsylvania office, said that a woman matching the description of Bouie was present at Harrison’s arrest.
Sonya Toler, the public information officer for the Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety, said Thursday night that state police investigators had contacted detectives from the city’s homicide unit seeking information.
Investigators presumably are checking what, if any, link may exist between the deaths in Pittsburgh and Adams Township.
“We have been contacted by the state police and asked to provide information,” Toler said. “We are cooperating.”
Harrison is in the Allegheny County Jail without bail.He is awaiting a trial date on the charges and is scheduled for a formal arraignment Nov. 24, according to court papers.
The incident Harrison is alleged to have been involved in was a drive-by shooting that occurred on Aug. 2 outside Art’s Tavern in the Strip District of Pittsburgh after an apparent verbal dispute between two groups of patrons.
According to police reports, Harrison was upset about the noise from the motorcycles ridden by members of the Pittsburgh Gentlemen Motorcycle Club.
After an argument with club members, Harrison got into a SUV with other men and is accused of being one of two suspects that shot at a group of men belonging to the motorcycle club.
One club member — Tyrone Tomman, 40 — was killed and five other members were injured.
The Pittsburgh Gentlemen Motorcycle Club is based out of Homewood.
Township Police Chief Bill Westerman said a murder in Adams is unheard of.
“I have worked here since 1982, and I don’t remember a homicide,” Westerman said.
Township supervisors vice chairman Tom Franceschina agreed that a murder in Adams is unusual.
“It’s shocking and sad,” he said.