2 accused in death of 18-year-old waive preliminary hearings

WARREN, Pa. (AP) — Two men charged in the shooting death of another man last month have waived their preliminary hearings.

James McDaniel, of Russell, is charged with criminal homicide in the Feb. 5 death of 18-year-old Marcus Mattson.

Mattson’s body was found on Feb. 11 in the crawlspace of a Brokenstraw Township house.

McDaniel and his Northern Cambria half-brother Gary Williams are also charged with theft, receiving stolen property, reckless burning or exploding, abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence.

Police say McDaniel told them he shot Mattson when Mattson tried to rob him during a drug deal. But Warren County authorities say it was a premeditated killing.

The (Warren) Times Observer reports the men’s lawyers waived the hearing on Tuesday.

McDaniel is jailed without bail. Williams hasn’t posted $200,000 bail.