STATE COLLEGE — A man has been charged in an alleged murder-for-hire plot against a former Pennsylvania prosecutor that involved two current or former prison inmates, authorities said.

Dana Elroy Smith, 56, of State College, faces charges in Luzerne County of criminal solicitation of criminal homicide and criminal conspiracy, state police said.

Police allege that information including the victim's description and home address was sent to potential “hit men.” Investigators also allege that “large money transfers” were found from Smith through an intermediary to a state prison inmate “involved with the execution of the plot.”

Smith was arrested Friday following an undercover operation in which police allege he made a “money drop” to the purported hit-man. Charges were filed in Luzerne County because “a significant step in the furtherance of the murder conspiracy” occurred there, police said. No details were provided.

Court records indicate that Smith was charged in Centre County in 2009 with felony counts of witness or victim intimidation in giving false or misleading testimony and withholding information. He was convicted in a jury trial and sentenced to 2½ to five years in prison. In 2011, he was charged with harassment and was again convicted and sentenced to 60 days.

WILKINSBURG — A police officer shot and killed a man who police said opened fire during a foot pursuit near Pittsburgh, police said.Wilkinsburg officers were dispatched to an intersection just after 1 a.m. Sunday after a report of a man threatening another person with a gun, Allegheny County police said.The man fled, but after a brief pursuit he turned and fired a handgun at one of the officers, police said. The officer returned fire, striking the suspect, who was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. His name wasn't immediately released.The Wilkinsburg officer has been placed on administrative duty as is standard policy.

ERIE — A man convicted of stabbing his girlfriend to death amid an impending breakup last year has been sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole.James Gilbert, 25, was convicted last month of first-degree murder, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and possession of an instrument of crime. His attorney argued that the crime wasn’t premeditated, but prosecutors said he took a knife with him to the home intending to kill the victim.Prosecutors said he stabbed 20-year-old Marinda Matasowski 27 times at her mother’s Millcreek home in August 2018 and then stabbed himself in the chest.Gilbert said in court that he wanted to remember the good parts of their relationship, such as holidays and trips to the zoo with their young son. But her friend, Carly Blanks, said their relationship was deeply abusive and her friend “slowly started to fade away.”