Jurors in Allegheny County got their first look Monday, June 1, at a killing prosecutors say was dressed up as a business trip and ended with a single shot to the back of the head. On trial is 61-year-old William Fortuna, accused of supplying the gun used to kill Murrysville businessman George C. Dayieb. Prosecutors argue the shooting was part of a plot tied to an unpaid business debt. Fortuna has pleaded not guilty, and his attorney told jurors he had no idea there was any plan to murder Dayieb.
Prosecutors lay out an alleged conspiracy
TribLIVE reported that Assistant District Attorney Matthew Robinowitz told jurors Fortuna was a full participant in a conspiracy to kill Dayieb, and that the admitted shooter, Braden Elliott, has agreed to testify against him. Prosecutors say Elliott has admitted he fired the shot that killed Dayieb and that the weapon initially malfunctioned before being fixed, according to opening statements. The prosecution told the court the case rests on surveillance video, cellphone records, and text messages that they say link all three men to the alleged plot.
Police timeline and surveillance evidence
WPXI reported that security footage shows Dayieb climbing into Jeremy Fisher’s truck at a Broadhead Road gas lot in Coraopolis on the morning of Dec. 27, 2023. Investigators say the group later pulled off near Portersville to deal with a gun malfunction. Police say Elliott then fired a single, fatal shot as Dayieb sat in the passenger seat, and that the men later hid his body in a trailer on a camp property in Clarion County, covering the remains with cushions and pillows. Authorities say the suspected motive was roughly $440,000 in equipment-related debt that Fisher allegedly owed Dayieb.
Defense stance and courtroom schedule
TribLIVE noted that defense attorney Stephen Colafella told jurors Fortuna thought he was simply following Fisher to drop off a truck for service, with no knowledge of any murder plan. The trial is expected to last through the week, and prosecutors say the admitted shooter, who has turned into a key witness, will take the stand for the state. Jeremy Fisher, who is being tried separately, is scheduled to face related charges starting July 27, 2026.
Charges, plea talks and legal context
All three men have been charged with homicide, conspiracy, and related counts stemming from the Dec. 27, 2023, disappearance and killing. Local reporting has said Elliott is expected to plead guilty to third-degree murder as part of a deal with prosecutors that includes his cooperation at trial, a point the state highlighted during opening statements. Coverage in the region has also pointed to the multi-county reach of the investigation, which brought in authorities from Allegheny, Butler, and Clarion counties.
Testimony this week will be closely watched for how prosecutors connect the text messages, surveillance footage, and forensic work, and for how jurors respond to the admitted shooter’s cooperation as they weigh whether there is enough to convict Fortuna. Readers looking for a deeper background on the investigation and earlier arrests can review reporting from the local outlets cited above for the original coverage and court filings.
