Brothers on trial in 2017 Penn Hills shooting death caught on camera

Two brothers accused of killing a Penn Hills man and then stealing more than a quarter-million dollars in cash from his home four years ago are on trial this week.

The entire crime was caught on the victim’s own high-def video surveillance system.

Donald King, 36, of Stowe, and Devante King, 29, of Wilkinsburg, are charged with criminal homicide, robbery, burglary and conspiracy stemming from the Aug. 6, 2017, shooting death of Kevin Trowery, 54, at his home on Conestoga Road.

A third co-defendant, Dustin Taylor, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to third-degree murder and related counts. He is expected to testify against the Kings.

Deputy District Attorney Kevin Chernosky said during opening statements on Monday that the motive for the crime was clear.

“They did it because they wanted what he had — pure and simple, greed,” he said.

The prosecutor told the jury that on the night of the crime, the Kings approached Trowery as he stepped outside of his home with a broom to remove cobwebs from his security cameras. The brothers had guns, and though Trowery tried to defend himself with the broom, he could not, Chernosky said.

Donald King fired one shot that struck Trowery in the leg, and the men continued to struggle, police said. Police said Donald King fired twice more, and the three men then dragged Trowery’s body back inside his home.

The suspects, who were wearing masks and black clothing, stepped outside to see if they could hear police, and then returned inside the house, Chernosky said.

Penn Hills police Officer Dustin Hess arrived a short time later after 911 received a report of shots being fired. As he approached Trowery’s house, he saw the men emerging from a set of side steps. They were carrying what appeared to be a full, black garbage bag and a backpack, he said.

The garbage bag, which was later recovered in the woods where the men ran, contained nearly $270,000 in cash.

Donald King tried to flee in his parents’ white Lincoln Navigator, but was caught a short time later hiding in nearby woods, Hess said. The other two suspects ran. Taylor was arrested four days later, and Devante King was arrested 19 days later.

According to the prosecution, officers recovered both brothers’ cell phones in the woods near the scene, and the gun used to kill Trowery was found at the house next door.

But defense attorney Lee Rothman, who represents Donald King, questioned why the prosecution would make a deal with Taylor if the evidence in the case against the brothers is so strong.

While he acknowledged the video evidence, Rothman said, “The question here is, Who is involved?”

He also urged the jury to consider why Trowery would need such an elaborate security system.

“Why did he do that? Why did he need to do that?” Rothman said.

He told the jury it was because of the “stow of cash” in Trowery’s home.

Defense attorney Carmen Robinson, who represents Devante King, said the cash was bundled with rubber bands and in separate bags. She also told the jury in her opening that Trowery had been the victim of another home invasion two or three weeks earlier that was never reported to the police.

The trial before Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Anthony M. Mariani is expected to last at least a week.