3 face homicide charges in beating
KITTANNING — Three Armstrong County men were charged Wednesday with beating a Donegal Township man to death Sunday.
Otilio Cosme, 43, of Ford City, Keith Allen Brison, 32, of Kittanning and Anthony Michael Bove, 18, of Ford City each are charged with homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and harassment.
Kittanning state police, who are jointly investigating the incident with borough police, report the three men kicked and jumped on James Sullivan, 39, while he was motionless.
Kittanning police Chief Ed Cassesse said this morning witnesses to the assault identified the suspects.
“People started coming forward after they realized how brutal it was,” he said.
State police on Monday charged a fourth man with aggravated assault, a felony, and simple assault.
Dennis Andrew Rosenberger, 27, of Kittanning is accused of hitting Sullivan in the head, causing him to fall on the ground about 1:35 a.m.
Cassesse said witnesses confirmed Rosenberger attacked Sullivan without warning.“He didn't even see it coming,” Cassesse said about Sullivan.Sullivan's head hit the pavement. He was pronounced dead less than 90 minutes later at ACMH Hospital in East Franklin Township.An autopsy was done Sunday.The Armstrong County coroner's office lists the cause of death as blunt force trauma to his abdomen and head.Sullivan suffered a fracture to the back of his head and a cut to a major vein in his stomach area.Cassesse said the savage beating was the culmination of a series of events begun with women feuding in the Wick City Saloon on Orr Avenue.“There were words said between the women in the bar,” he said.Cassesse said most, if not all, of the attackers were initially inside the bar, but had no issues with Sullivan then.
“There was no interaction of the males inside the bar,” he said.Cassesse said Sullivan tried to play peacemaker.“The victim escorted the women to their cars,” Cassesse said.However, the situation remained tense leading up to Rosenberger's intervention on Montieth Street.A crowd formed on the street as various fights broke out. Cassesse said Sullivan's beating was the only one involving serious injuries.Cassesse said the three homicide suspects are related. Bove is Cosme's stepson while Brison is Bove's cousin.All three men are held without bail at the Armstrong County Jail.Rosenberger remains jailed on $50,000 bail.
All four men face a preliminary hearing before District Judge James Owen Wednesday morning.Sullivan, who was a Karns City High School graduate, served in the U.S. Air Force during the Persian Gulf War.His funeral was this morning at St. Mary of the Assumption Roman Catholic Church in Herman.
