Arrest made in Elliott suspicious death investigation

PITTSBURGH — An arrest has been made in a suspicious death investigation after a man's body was found Friday inside his home in Pittsburgh’s Elliott neighborhood.

Robert Hunter, 28, was arrested in connection with the homicide.

According to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office, Mark Lopata, 35, was found dead inside the home on the 700 block of Harker Street just after 1:30 p.m. on Friday.

The Violence Crime Unit determined that the landlord of the home had been attempting to reach Lopata to collect rent.

According to the investigation, a neighbor entered the house through a window where he discovered Lopata's decomposing body in a second-floor apartment.

Paramedics officially pronounced Lopata dead at 1:55 p.m. on Friday.

An autopsy determined that he died of blunt force trauma and a gunshot wound to his head.

Hunter remains in Allegheny County Jail.

Cox Media Group