Police say Meadville man's death in Lawrence County is a homicide
Nov. 5—NEW CASTLE — Pennsylvania State Police at New Castle have called Thursday's death of a Meadville man in Lawrence County a homicide.
State police said this morning that the death of Joseph DeTello, 40, of Meadville was a homicide due to asphyxiation.
The ruling came following an autopsy Friday afternoon at Heritage Valley Medical Center in Beaver, police said.
"Due to the active on-going investigation, no further details are being released at this time," police said in a news release issued this morning.
A passerby had found DeTello's body next to a sport utility vehicle along Young Road in Slippery Rock Township in southern Lawrence County about 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
The passerby had stopped to assist what he thought was a man having issues with a tire on a vehicle, police said.
The passerby saw DeTello unresponsive on the ground, called 911 and administered CPR on DeTello, police said.
Two other people who were bicycling in the area stopped to assist the passerby until state police and emergency medical services personnel arrived on the scene and determined DeTello was deceased.
Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.
