HARRISBURG, Pa. — A Harrisburg teen will spend six to 12 years in prison for a 2019 murder.
On Dec. 30, 2021, 19-year-old Dauntel Evans agreed to an open plea of third-degree murder for the shooting and death of Nicholas Morales.
In August 2019, while responding to reports of shots fired, police found Morales on Harrisburg's S. 13th Street with a single gunshot wound to his stomach. Morales later died despite being taken to the hospital.
During the investigation, police identified a witness who was walking behind the shooter during the incident and was able to identify the shooter as Evans.
In May 2020, police arrested Evans, who was 16-years-old at the time, initially charging him with homicide.
Shortly after the arrest, Sean Evans, Jakiy Evans, Fontaine McClure and Kevin Marshall used Facebook Live to threaten the person who identified Dautnel Evans as the shooter, later assaulting the witness.
After the assault, the group boasted about it on Facebook Live.
The four were later arrested and charged with burglary, witness intimidation, retaliation against a witness, simple assault and criminal conspiracy.
Officials say during the trial, Morales' fiancé and brother spoke about how his death affected their lives. Multiple people also spoke on behalf of Dauntel Evans about how his actions in 2019 do not define him. They emphasized that he had a great deal of promise as an athlete, scholar and leader.
"This case was tragic all around," noted Chief Deputy District Attorney Sarah Phillips when Dauntel Evans received his sentence. "The victims and the Commonwealth are sympathetic to the defendant’s promise, but the fact is he pleaded guilty to third degree murder based on his actions that day.”
