Published: December 03, 2008 09:57 pm      

Hunter charged in fatal beating

INDIANA — A Seward man already in Indiana County Jail for assaulting a Belsano man who later died now has been charged with criminal homicide.

Stephen Charles Shesko, 60, was arraigned Wednesday via a video teleconference by District Judge Susanne Steffee of Homer City.

Shesko is charged in the death of Erick Daniel Melius, 28, who was found dead at his Blacklick Township home two days after having been beaten.

The death was ruled a homicide Wednesday by Cambria County Coroner Dennis Kwiatkowski. Death was caused by blunt force trauma to the neck, the coroner said.

Melius was punched and kicked in a Nov. 24 incident in Buffington Township, Indiana County, near the Cambria County border, after he reportedly had yelled obscenities at a group of bear hunters around 3 p.m..

The state police said Shesko had been hunting with a group of 28 bear hunters on the day of the assault. Melius, who was a passenger in a van, drove by yelling at the hunters from the slow-moving vehicle, the police said.

When Melius reportedly shouted at Shesko, Shesko ran to the van and punched Melius through the open window a couple of times, the police alleged.

The van, with Melius still yelling obscenities, drove away, but returned about five minutes later, according to the police. Melius got out of the vehicle and attempted to punch a hunter seated in a truck, the police said. At that point, Shesko ran to the victim and knocked him to the ground, and began punching and kicking him, police said.

Trooper Brian Bono, in an affidavit, said other members of the hunting party pulled Shesko away, while the van driver – who was not identified – loaded the victim into the vehicle and drove away.

Trooper John Fisanich said there had not been a prior confrontation or altercation between Melius and the hunters.

Melius was treated at Memorial Medical Center after the incident and signed himself out of the hospital against a doctor’s advice, the coroner said.

The victim was pronounced dead at 9:49 a.m. Dec. 26 at his home after having been found by a co-worker there.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 23 before Steffee. Shesko is being held without bond in the Indiana County jail on charges of criminal homicide and aggravated assault.