LANCASTER, Pa. — A Lancaster County man will spend 18½ to 45 years in prison after pleading guilty Wednesday to third-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm charges for shooting and killing 23-year-old William Deliz in the 500 block of East End Ave. on Sept. 2, 2020, the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office said.
Ethan Chin, 25, of Lititz, pled guilty before Lancaster County Judge Merrill Spahn, who accepted the negotiated guilty plea.
“Nothing can change the tragedy of this situation,” Spahn said. “On some level, you can’t convince me this isn’t senseless violence.”
First Deputy District Attorney Cody Wade prosecuted the case and consulted with the victim’s family in determining an appropriate guilty plea, according to the DA's Office.
“I want to send my condolences to the victim’s family who are sitting here in the front row,” Wade said in an account of the proceeding provided by prosecutors. “I believe ultimately this is the best resolution for this case.”
Wade also commended the work of Lancaster City Bureau of Police Detective Ryan Burgett, who filed charges against Chin in April 2022 after a lengthy, detailed investigation.
On Sept. 2, 2020, at approximately 1:22 a.m., city police were dispatched to a local hospital regarding a victim with two gunshot wounds to his torso and two to his lower extremities.
Deliz died on Sept. 5, 2020, and an autopsy performed by the Lancaster County Coroner’s Office found the cause of death to be gunshot wounds and the manner to be a homicide.
Officers learned the shooting took place outside of 519 East End Ave. in Lancaster City and obtained video evidence that showed Deliz and two others at the residence at least an hour before the shooting.
Evidence collected through witness statements and video footage showed that Chin was one of two passengers in a pick-up truck driving in the same area as Deliz at the time of the shooting.
The driver of the pick-up truck stated he dropped Chin off after parking in the 500 block of East Mifflin St. and heard multiple gunshots shortly after. The other passenger then told the driver to go pick up Chin and drop them both off at a motel on Columbia Ave.
Police recovered 11 total 9mm firearm shell casings from the scene.
Assistant District Attorney Caitlin Blazier assisted in the prosecution.
