WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (EYT) – Criminal homicide and related charges have been filed against a Clarion man in connection with the March 1 shooting death of a 22-year-old woman in Washington Township, Clarion County.
Charges were filed late Tuesday against 22-year-old Damien Lawrence Ditz after a search warrant was executed at his 24 E. Eighth Ave., residence.
Ditz was taken into custody and arraigned on the following charges:
- Criminal Homicide, Felony 1
- Aggravated Assault, Felony 1
- Aggravated Assault, Felony 2
- Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2 (two counts)
- Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Misdemeanor 2
The charges stem from the March 1 shooting of 22-year-old Katrina Renee Seaburn.
The shooting occurred around 5:30 p.m. in a vehicle traveling near Hartzell Trailer Court along Lake Lucy Road, just off state Route 208.
Clarion County Coroner Terry Shaffer was dispatched around 6:15 p.m. and pronounced Seaburn dead at the scene.
“Based on information gathered during this investigation, PSP Marienville has taken Ditz into custody and filed criminal charges against him,” according to a release issued by PSP Trooper Shawn Nicewonger, the lead investigator on the case.
The charges were filed as part of a joint investigation between PSP Marienville and the Clarion County District Attorney’s Office.
“It is alleged that the evidence in the case indicates that Ditz intentionally killed Seaburn,” said Clarion County District Attorney Mark Aaron in a release issued Wednesday.
Ditz was arraigned before on-call Magisterial District Judge Duane Quinn Tuesday evening and committed to the Clarion County Jail without bail. Under Pennsylvania Law, bail is not set in a case where first-degree murder is charged, as life in prison is a possible punishment.
In a previous interview with exploreClarion.com, Clarion County Deputy Coroner Randall Stom said Seaburn suffered a gunshot wound to the chest.
She was a Clarion University student originally from the Curwensville area.
Additional information is expected to be released soon.
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