Pittsburgh-Area Man Accused Of Shooting, Killing Father

WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PA — A Cook Township man has been charged with fatally shooting and stabbing his father.

Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Zicarelli said on Monday that Cody Lawrence, 28, has been charged with criminal homicide in connection with the death of Edward Lawrence Jr., 59.

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According to Zicarelli, Pennsylvania State Police responded to a residence on Saturday for a reported shooting. The victim's wife told police that her son, Cody Lawrence, has intervened in an ongoing argument between her and her husband and shot him.

When state police arrived on scene, they observed Edward Lawrence Jr. lying near the garage of a nearby residence. He was pronounced dead at that scene.

According to Zicarelli, Cody Lawrence told state police that he observed his father reaching for a gun in his waistband and the two fought over the gun before it went off.

Cody claimed a pocketknife fell out of his sweatshirt during the struggle and believed his father also may have been stabbed.

Police observed a gunshot wound to Lawrence's back and two stab wounds on his back.

The victim's wife told troopers she and her husband were bickering throughout the day. After an argument later in the day, she heard a loud noise and saw Cody and Edward Lawrence emerge from the front door of the residence and Edward exclaimed he was shot.

While searching the property, troopers found a pistol concealed near the front entrance and a folding knife nearby.

Zicarelli stated in a release that police concluded that no physical evidence or interviews indicated the victim's wife was in danger at the time of the shooting and there was no physical evidence indicating Cody Lawrence was involved in an altercation.