Charges forwarded in Witko homicide

KINGSTON – Aaron Witko begged for his life after being shot in the hand, Quadere Shannon testified on Monday.

Shannon, 15, said Witko was setting up an assault rifle in an isolated area of Edwardsville when he saw Gregory Orlando Fann fire a single shot from a .44-caliber revolver on May 29.

“The victim said, ‘Please don’t.’ Then he (Fann) finished him,” Shannon testified during Fann’s preliminary hearing before District Judge Paul J. Roberts Jr., Kingston.

Shannon’s testimony was enough for Roberts to send Fann to Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas on charges of criminal homicide, robbery and theft.

Police said Fann, 21, of Maple Lane, Wilkes-Barre, killed 19-year-old Witko, of Tunkhannock.

Luzerne County Coroner John Corcoran said Witko suffered three gunshot wounds. His body was found near the Wilkes-Barre Railroad Connecting Bridge, commonly known as the Black Diamond Bridge, Corcoran said.

Assistant district attorneys Dick Hughes and Jill Matthews said Witko was killed during the sale of an assault rifle.

Joshua Dixon, 19, testified Witko asked him in April if he knew anyone who wanted to buy an AK-47 assault rifle. Dixon said he called a few people and found out in mid-May that Fann was interested in buying the weapon.

Dixon said he set up the meeting with Witko and Fann on May 29. They agreed to meet on the Wilkes-Barre side of the railroad bridge that spans the Susquehanna River.

Dixon said he watched Witko, Fann and two men who were with Fann walk across the bridge to test-fire the weapon in Edwardsville.

“I heard four gunshots, then five minutes later, Fann calls me, saying, ‘My friend got shot,’ ” Dixon testified. “He (Fann) said a white guy and a black guy were robbing them. I thought it was a joke. I called Aaron, but he wasn’t picking up.”

Dixon said he left the area but returned to search for Witko. As he walked across the bridge, Dixon said, he saw Witko’s body on the ground near the river.

Shannon, a student at Meyers High School who lived next to Fann on Maple Lane, testified he was with Fann and Devone Gibson when they met Witko at the bridge.

Shannon said Witko was setting up the assault rifle when Witko was shot in the wrist.

Shannon said Gibson ran away after the first shot. Then Fann fired more shots, hitting Witko in the head and face, Shannon testified.

As they fled toward Kirby Park, Shannon said Fann hid the assault rifle behind logs in a wooded area.

“He told me and Devone to say that a white guy and a black guy did it,” Shannon said.

Shannon told Fann’s attorneys, Paul Galante and Brian Corcoran, that he was too scared to call police.

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Gregory Orlando Fann, 21, of Wilkes-Barre, accused in crime involving sale of AK-47.

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