South Whitehall man dies from gunshot wounds
BY SUSAN BRYANT
A 42-year-old South Whitehall Township man has died from his injuries after being shot in his vehicle which was parked at N. 7th and W. Gordon streets, Allentown.
According Lehigh County Coroner Eric Minnich, Kippy Reco Henry was pronounced dead at 8:09 p.m. that day in Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township.
An autopsy was performed Oct. 14, Minnich said.
He said the cause of Henry’s death was gunshot wounds to the body.
The manner of his death was ruled a homicide.
On Oct. 13, Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin and Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca announced an arrest had been made in this homicide investigation.
According to Martin, Justin Nevius, 25, of Phillipsburg, N.J., was charged with criminal homicide, a felony of the first degree; and being a person not to possess, use, manufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms, a felony of the second degree.
Nevius was taken into custody late Oct. 12 in Phillipsburg and will be extradited to Pennsylvania, Martin said.
Martin said at approximately 7:39 p.m. Oct. 12, Allentown police were called to the intersection of 7th and Gordon streets for a report of gunshots being fired.
Upon arrival, officers saw a burgundy Dodge Caravan parked on the east side of 7th Street facing south.
The driver and sole occupant, identified as Henry, had been shot multiple times.
According to Martin, at the location where the shooting occurred, police found several spent 40-caliber shell casings near the Caravan.
Several of the vehicle’s windows had been shot out.
Investigators obtained video surveillance from nearby properties that captured the shooting and showed a light-colored Nissan Altima traveling south on 7th Street pull up next to Henry’s vehicle and stop, Martin stated.
A series of muzzle flashes were seen coming from the driver’s side of the Nissan Altima.
Simultaneously, two individuals left the car and ran.
The Nissan Altima then headed south on 7th Street turning east on Gordon Street.
A witness identified Nevius as the alleged shooter, Martin said, adding Nevius is a convicted felon and is not permitted to possess a firearm.
Martin and Allentown police thank Phillipsburg police for their assistance in taking Nevius into custody.