Greensburg, PA -- Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli announces the guilty plea of a Monessen teenager charged in the shooting death of his friend.

Terry Newton, 17, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and illegal possession of a firearm by a minor in front of a Common Pleas Judge on Monday, April 15, 2024.

Amari Altomore, 16, died in November of 2022 after being shot in the abdomen in the bedroom of Newton’s home on South 14^th Street in Monessen.  Newton fled the scene of the shooting and was not able to be located by law enforcement for several weeks. The firearm was never recovered.

In direct consultation with the victim’s family and with their consent, Newton pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter. He is expected to face up to 20 years in prison.

He will be sentenced in the next three months. 

Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli thanks Assistant District Attorney Katie Ranker for prosecuting this case and bringing it to a just resolution.

“This case is a tragedy for the families involved and the community of Monessen. It was an incident that was preventable and unfortunately, the lives of two families will forever be changed because of it. I hope this guilty plea gives the family of Amari Altomore closure,” Ziccarelli said.