Allegheny County police make arrest in killing of McKees Rocks artist, activist Dent

January 31, 2013 6:28 am
  • Daniel Cutrary, left, of Sheriden, mourns his uncle, Isaiah Dent, 61.
    Bill Wade/Post-Gazette
    Daniel Cutrary, left, of Sheriden, mourns his uncle, Isaiah Dent, 61.
  • Sean Overton, 19, of Moon is facing homicide charge in the death of Isaiah Dent.
    Allegheny County Police Department
    Sean Overton, 19, of Moon is facing homicide charge in the death of Isaiah Dent.
  • Lachoa Austin, left, of McKees Rocks comforts Carrol Dent of Youngstown, Ohio, the sister of Isaiah Dent, 61, during a memorial service.
    Bill Wade/Post-Gazette
    Lachoa Austin, left, of McKees Rocks comforts Carrol Dent of Youngstown, Ohio, the sister of Isaiah Dent, 61, during a memorial service.
  • Daniel Cutrary of Sheraden mourns his uncle, Isaiah Dent, along with 200 people at the Hays Manor housing development community center in McKees Rocks. Mr. Dent, 61, a community activist and clothing designer, was found beaten to death in his apartment.
    Bill Wade/Post-Gazette
    Daniel Cutrary of Sheraden mourns his uncle, Isaiah Dent, along with 200 people at the Hays Manor housing development community center in McKees Rocks. Mr. Dent, 61, a community activist and clothing designer, was found beaten to death in his apartment.
  • Laverne Jackson, left, of Wilmerding, and Carrol Dent of Youngstown, Ohio, sisters of AIsaiah Dent, 61, comfort each other at a memorial service.
    Bill Wade/Post-Gazette
    Laverne Jackson, left, of Wilmerding, and Carrol Dent of Youngstown, Ohio, sisters of AIsaiah Dent, 61, comfort each other at a memorial service.
  • A memorial plaque is signed in memory of Isaiah Dent, 61, as 200 gathers at the community center of the Hays Manor housing development in McKees Rocks where Dent was found in his apartment beaten to death. Dent's sisters, Laverne Jackson of Wilmerding, left, and Carrol Dent of Youngstown, Ohio, watch the signing.
    Bill Wade/Post-Gazette
    A memorial plaque is signed in memory of Isaiah Dent, 61, as 200 gathers at the community center of the Hays Manor housing development in McKees Rocks where Dent was found in his apartment beaten to death. Dent's sisters, Laverne Jackson of Wilmerding, left, and Carrol Dent of Youngstown, Ohio, watch the signing.
  • Kelsey Brown, 15, of Crafton, shows off a quilt she helped make with Isaiah Dent, 61.
    Bill Wade/Post-Gazette
    Kelsey Brown, 15, of Crafton, shows off a quilt she helped make with Isaiah Dent, 61.
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By Taryn Luna / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Allegheny County homicide detectives arrested a man Wednesday in connection with the beating death of a McKees Rocks activist known for pushing peace in his community.

Sean Overton, 19, of Moon was arrested around 11 a.m. in his mother's residence in the Moon Crest housing complex in the slaying of Isaiah Dent, 61.

Police said they were led to Mr. Overton by tracing calls made from Mr. Dent's cell phone after his body was found Monday in his Hays Manor apartment, according to a criminal complaint filed by detectives.

A friend of Mr. Overton's and now a witness in the case told police Mr. Overton called him and said he killed Mr. Dent because the 61-year-old had robbed him of marijuana, the complaint stated.

Allegheny County police spokesman Lt. Andrew Schurman could not be reached Wednesday to discuss a motive in the attack.

The victim's sister, Carrol Dent of Youngstown, Ohio, said she knew her brother smoked marijuana, but robbery was not in his character.

Mr. Dent's friend, Barbara Owens, said she knew nothing about Mr. Overton's allegations, but didn't believe him.

"I can't even imagine that," she said.

Mr. Dent was a tailor, artist and cosmetologist as well as a community activist. Members of the community said his presence was felt in the MLK Day Cotillion last week, which he helped plan with the group Breaking Silence: Ending Youth Violence. He also organized Hays Community Day for families last year at the apartment complex where he was killed.

Mr. Dent's family couldn't reach him over the weekend and called 911 on Monday asking police to check on him. Officers arrived at the apartment around 8:50 a.m. and found Mr. Dent lying on the bathroom floor with puncture wounds to his face and blunt force trauma to his head, which an autopsy later ruled as his cause of death.

The victim's keys and a small amount of marijuana were found on him. Mr. Dent's cell phone was the only item that appeared to be stolen from the residence.

Detectives learned that a call was made from the phone at 2:31 p.m. Monday, hours after his body was discovered. Police located the person who was called by Mr. Dent's cell phone and learned it was a friend of Mr. Overton's. The person said Mr. Overton called first at 11:30 a.m. and again at 2:31 p.m. Monday.

In the first call the witness was sleeping, so Mr. Overton made it brief by saying he would call back later and explained that he had settled some "unfinished business" with Mr. Dent, the complaint stated.

An hour later the witness received another call from Mr. Overton, who said he killed him because Mr. Dent robbed him of marijuana, the complaint said. Mr. Overton also said Mr. Dent didn't pay him the full amount of money he owed for a marijuana purchase.

Mr. Overton remained in the Allegheny County Jail on Wednesday evening awaiting arraignment on charges of criminal homicide, robbery and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.

Taryn Luna: tluna@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1985.
First Published January 30, 2013 4:07 pm
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