SCRANTON — Testimony began Tuesday in the murder trial of Travis Lanzo, charged with the fatal shooting of another man on his way to a neighborhood vigil March 12, 2023.
The victim, David Deshler, is believed to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time when Lanzo shot him in the head as he walked down Schultz Court near Mulberry Street in the city’s Hill Section just before 11 p.m.
Deshler died 24 hours later at Geisinger Community Medical Center.
Lanzo is charged with first- and third-degree murder and criminal conspiracy.
The shooting sprang from a dispute between Jonathan Lance Smith, 33, and Freddy “Frenchie” Mealing, 23, at the vigil earlier in the night.
Smith contacted David Gaskins, 35, Noah Ortiz, 24, and Lanzo, who returned to the area in two separate cars, police said.
Law enforcement officers say Smith was out to harm Mealing and brought Lanzo along to help.
Lanzo went on the run after the shooting. He was captured in May 2023 at his home in the Catskills of New York.
At a preliminary hearing in August 2023, Detective Michael Schultz testified Deshler had simply been at the wrong place at the wrong time.
The trial opened Monday with jury selection and opening statements.
Gaskins and Ortiz pleaded guilty to felony criminal conspiracy earlier this year, but haven’t been sentenced. Smith’s charges are pending.
Police response
Police Officer Timothy Merkel, who was the first officer at the scene, testified to finding Deshler facedown with a gunshot wound to the head, when questioned by Deputy District Attorney Sara Varela.
Merkel’s body cam footage, submitted into evidence, showed Leroy Grant and Michael Deshler, Dreshler’s brothers, approaching Merkel and identifying their brother.
The footage shows a chaotic scene with a crowd gathered, with some crying and some shouting questions to officers.
Merkel, concerned the shooter was nearby, cleared the area, gun in hand.
He testified about 10 police officers responded to the scene, in addition to emergency responders.
During Merkel’s cross-examination, defense attorney Nicole Lermitte emphasized the chaos of the scene, asking him to estimate how many police and emergency personnel responded to the scene.
Merkel testified there were about 10 police officers, four emergency responders and two crime scene investigators who responded.
The area of Schultz Court where David Deshler was found shot on March 12, 2023. He died the next day. (JIM LOCKWOOD/PHOTO CREDIT)
The intersection of Schultz Court and Linden Street, where bullet casings were found after the March 12, 2023 shooting. (JIM LOCKWOOD/PHOTO CREDIT)
Police Officer Angel Perez testified officers immediately secured the scene by putting up crime scene tape in the perimeter of the area where the body was found.
But, when questioned by Lermitte, Perez said the crime scene hadn’t included the intersection of Linden and Shultz, where bullet casings were found.
Lermitte asked Perez if the purpose of putting up crime scene tape is to prevent tampering with the scene.
She indicated that it was possible that the area outside the crime scene could have been tampered with.
Perez said the crime scene had been extended after the bullet casings were found.
But, on re-direct, Varela asked Perez if all the officers at the scene had body cameras, and he testified they did.
Varela asked Perez if officers would have stopped civilians from tampering with evidence at the scene.
Perez responded that they would have.
Tearful testimony
Shayeeda Dyson told the jury Deshler, her cousin, had texted her he was on his way to the vigil.
He had spent the day at Chuck E. Cheese celebrating his son’s birthday, she said.
She told the jury Deshler had worked as a caregiver at St. Joseph’s Center, but was off the day of the shooting.
Caleb Bakalyar testified he had just returned from a trip to Baltimore on March 12 and parked his car in the 1500 block of Linden Street, facing the University of Scranton.
Bakalyar said he began transferring items to his girlfriend’s car, parked nearby, while his girlfriend remained in the front passenger seat with their cat.
It was then he heard a gunshot, saw a flash and then saw a man running from Schultz Court.
The man got into a red vehicle, as a passenger, he testified.
Defense attorney Max Lubin asked what Bakalyar did after witnessing the shooting.
Bakalyar said he got into his car and left the area, driving toward downtown.
“Where you concerned for your safety? Where you concerned for your girlfriend’s safety?” Lubin asked.
“Yes I was,” Bakalyar said.