Pitt-Area Student Chased and Choked, Suspect Had Master Key, Police Say

A man accused of following a University of Pittsburgh-area student into his own apartment building and choking him in a hallway was carrying a master key capable of opening any door inside the complex, according to police. Chaz Ramon Corlew Jr. faces burglary, stalking, simple assault, strangulation, indecent assault and resisting arrest charges after the confrontation at HERE Pittsburgh, a 593-bed student apartment complex at 3506 Forbes Avenue in Central Oakland.

According to the criminal complaint, Corlew followed the victim into his apartment building and allegedly grabbed him inappropriately before propositioning him after entering, as reported by WTAE. The victim told police he did not know Corlew. When Corlew allegedly tried to lead the victim into a bedroom, the victim said he screamed for help and managed to free himself, but the complaint states Corlew placed him in a chokehold in the hallway, and the victim said he could not breathe while being choked.

The victim broke away and ran, with Corlew following him, according to the complaint. Corlew then fled the scene. The victim went to the building's lobby to call police and encountered Corlew there a second time before losing him in a crowd of people.

How Police Tracked Down the Suspect

Police later located and took Corlew into custody. Officers reported he resisted arrest after they managed to get one handcuff on him, and he was ultimately forced into handcuffs. Authorities said they found multiple keys on Corlew, including a master key to the 3506 Forbes Avenue building.

HERE Pittsburgh is not University of Pittsburgh campus housing — it is a privately owned, modern student apartment complex near campus that fully opened in December 2023 following a semester-long construction delay, according to background reported by The Pitt News. That distinction matters for jurisdiction: because the complex is privately operated rather than university-managed, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police — not University of Pittsburgh Police — leads the investigation, and building security decisions rest with private management rather than the university.

Residents Say It Is Not the First Security Concern

The Pitt News reported that residents raised living and security concerns during the complex's first year of operation, including one resident who said a front door lacked a deadbolt and that lockouts were frequent. Those earlier complaints add context to how a master key allegedly wound up in a stranger's hands.

Building resident John Freeman said he was scared that someone had obtained the building's master key. Malia Savas, who has lived in the building for three years, said the incident did not make her excited to live there. Fellow resident Leah Larsen said hearing about the incident made building residents nervous.

What the Charges Could Mean Under Pennsylvania Law

Under Pennsylvania's burglary statute, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3502, entering a structure adapted for overnight accommodations with intent to commit a crime is graded as a first-degree felony carrying up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000, according to the The Dorward Law Firm. That grading applies regardless of whether any theft occurred inside the apartment. Pennsylvania case law, including Commonwealth v. Guarrasi, holds that any license or privilege to enter a building is negated if it was obtained through deception or without valid authorization, according to Justia Law — a precedent prosecutors could lean on even though Corlew possessed a physical key.

The strangulation charge does not require proof of physical injury under Pennsylvania's statute, 18 Pa.C.S. § 2718, which was enacted in 2016 and covers intentionally impeding someone's breathing or blood circulation, per the LLF Law Firm. When committed alongside sexual violence or stalking, it is graded as a second-degree felony carrying up to 10 years in prison, while a first-degree felony conviction can bring up to 20 years and a $25,000 fine, according to the Ciccarelli Law Offices. The indecent assault charge, classified as a second-degree misdemeanor under 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126, carries a maximum of two years in prison, per the Lower Bucks Source.

An Unregulated Gap in Key Control

Pennsylvania's Landlord-Tenant Act does not explicitly regulate how landlords manage master keys, leaving auditing protocols largely up to individual property management rules and lease terms, according to the Bay Management Group. That statutory gap leaves open questions about how Corlew allegedly came to possess a key that opened every door in the building, including whether he was ever an employee or contractor with legitimate access.

The 3500 block of Forbes Avenue is a dense commercial and residential corridor in Central Oakland lined with private off-campus apartment complexes serving Pitt students, according to the Oakland Business Improvement District. The corridor has seen violent stranger attacks before: in July 2023, an assailant put a victim in a chokehold and assaulted him in the lobby of the nearby Even Hotel on Forbes Avenue, leading to attempted homicide charges, as reported by WPXI.