PITTSBURGH, PA - Authorities have charged a man with homicide for his connection in the fatal stabbing of a woman in Penn Hills and have linked him to nearly a half-dozen other crimes across the area.
While investigating 45-year-old Jinx Hairston's death, police connected the suspect, 43-year-old George Mitchell II, to several other violent crimes on Thursday, May 7, including two hit-and-run crashes that injured four people, a carjacking, and an attempted stabbing, CBS News reported.
Allegheny County Police were notified around 9:30 p.m. Thursday about a stabbing on Penny Drive. Investigators said Mitchell drove Hairston to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. A criminal complaint states that doorbell footage captured Mitchell arriving at Hairston's home around 6:39 p.m. Detectives said the video showed Hairston answering the door and allowing Mitchell inside.
Police said data recovered from Hairston's iPhone showed activity stopped around 6:50 p.m. after notifications were triggered at both the front and back doors of the home. Investigators said Hairston then began missing calls and text messages.
When officers later searched the residence, they reported finding blood throughout the home along with a fixed-blade knife, a white T-shirt, and bloodied Adidas sneakers. According to the complaint, Hairston's daughter identified the shoes as belonging to Mitchell.
After talking to witnesses and reviewing surveillance video, police said they learned Mitchell was responsible for the stabbing. Investigators said the case is connected to a string of violent incidents in North Braddock, Penn Hills, and Wilkinsburg earlier that same day.
Police said the alleged crime spree began shortly after 3:00 p.m. when the Eastern Regional Mon Valley Police Department was dispatched to Bell Avenue in North Braddock after a woman said a man approached her from behind, grabbed her, and held a gun to her head. She told police he chased her around a parking lot while pointing a gun at her as she tried to get away.
About an hour earlier, Penn Hills police were called to Dauntless Drive for reports of a man trying to carjack an elderly couple at knifepoint. Police said Mitchell approached each victim, held a knife to their necks, and demanded the keys, which he later dropped before fleeing in a black Cadillac sedan.
Barely 30 minutes later, police said Penn Hills police were called to Sampson Street for reports of a man and a teenager who were hit when a Cadillac veered off the road. Less than half a mile away and just one minute later, police said Mitchell hit two teenage girls on Doyle Street in Wilkinsburg. Then, at 7:30 p.m., Penn Hills police were dispatched again after a man walking on Penny Avenue said he was nearly hit by a black Cadillac sedan.
The man told police that the driver got out and tried to stab him with a knife. Investigators said Hairston's Nissan Rogue SUV was missing when family members discovered her injured inside the home. According to the complaint, Mitchell later returned to the residence, driving the SUV while officers were securing the scene.
Police said he gave officers the name "Jinx" before fleeing, leading officers on a pursuit. Police later spotted the SUV again in Penn Hills and initiated a second pursuit. Investigators said the chase ended when the vehicle crashed near Frankstown Road and Woods Road. Mitchell was taken into custody around 5:00 a.m. on Friday. He was denied bail and remains in the Allegheny County Jail.
While investigating 45-year-old Jinx Hairston's death, police connected the suspect, 43-year-old George Mitchell II, to several other violent crimes on Thursday, May 7, including two hit-and-run crashes that injured four people, a carjacking, and an attempted stabbing, CBS News reported.
Allegheny County Police were notified around 9:30 p.m. Thursday about a stabbing on Penny Drive. Investigators said Mitchell drove Hairston to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. A criminal complaint states that doorbell footage captured Mitchell arriving at Hairston's home around 6:39 p.m. Detectives said the video showed Hairston answering the door and allowing Mitchell inside.
Police said data recovered from Hairston's iPhone showed activity stopped around 6:50 p.m. after notifications were triggered at both the front and back doors of the home. Investigators said Hairston then began missing calls and text messages.
When officers later searched the residence, they reported finding blood throughout the home along with a fixed-blade knife, a white T-shirt, and bloodied Adidas sneakers. According to the complaint, Hairston's daughter identified the shoes as belonging to Mitchell.
After talking to witnesses and reviewing surveillance video, police said they learned Mitchell was responsible for the stabbing. Investigators said the case is connected to a string of violent incidents in North Braddock, Penn Hills, and Wilkinsburg earlier that same day.
Police said the alleged crime spree began shortly after 3:00 p.m. when the Eastern Regional Mon Valley Police Department was dispatched to Bell Avenue in North Braddock after a woman said a man approached her from behind, grabbed her, and held a gun to her head. She told police he chased her around a parking lot while pointing a gun at her as she tried to get away.
About an hour earlier, Penn Hills police were called to Dauntless Drive for reports of a man trying to carjack an elderly couple at knifepoint. Police said Mitchell approached each victim, held a knife to their necks, and demanded the keys, which he later dropped before fleeing in a black Cadillac sedan.
Barely 30 minutes later, police said Penn Hills police were called to Sampson Street for reports of a man and a teenager who were hit when a Cadillac veered off the road. Less than half a mile away and just one minute later, police said Mitchell hit two teenage girls on Doyle Street in Wilkinsburg. Then, at 7:30 p.m., Penn Hills police were dispatched again after a man walking on Penny Avenue said he was nearly hit by a black Cadillac sedan.
The man told police that the driver got out and tried to stab him with a knife. Investigators said Hairston's Nissan Rogue SUV was missing when family members discovered her injured inside the home. According to the complaint, Mitchell later returned to the residence, driving the SUV while officers were securing the scene.
Police said he gave officers the name "Jinx" before fleeing, leading officers on a pursuit. Police later spotted the SUV again in Penn Hills and initiated a second pursuit. Investigators said the chase ended when the vehicle crashed near Frankstown Road and Woods Road. Mitchell was taken into custody around 5:00 a.m. on Friday. He was denied bail and remains in the Allegheny County Jail.
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