PITTSBURGH — The families of two murder victims are once again left waiting for justice after a court hearing on Tuesday morning in the case of Howard Milligan, the man accused of gunning down Shane Edwards and Jasmine Guest in 2021.
Milligan, who faces charges in both deaths, told the judge he was not ready to accept or reject a plea deal that would eliminate the possibility of a mandatory life sentence. The delay comes nearly four years after the two killings, which have left the victims’ families in emotional turmoil.
Barbie Sampson, the mother of Jasmine Guest, expressed frustration outside the courtroom, saying the legal process was working against them.
“Yes, the defendant has his rights, but at the same time, it’s going on three and a half years, almost four years. When is it our turn to feel like we have some peace and some justice?” Sampson said.
On May 22, 2021, Shane Edwards was fatally shot on Route 28, and just hours later, Jasmine Guest was killed on the Parkway East. Though the murders appear to be unrelated, police linked both killings to Milligan.
This morning’s court hearing also saw the postponement of a decision for Leroy Irvin, Milligan’s co-defendant. Both defendants have pushed back hearings for accepting plea deals, frustrating the victims’ families who have repeatedly attended court sessions since the tragedies.
Mitzy McDonald, Shane Edwards’ mother, shared her agony of continuously reliving the pain of her son’s death.
“Why do we have to sit here and suffer? You all want to go to court, and we have to relive this and feel those emotions again. It’s not fair for us as the family,” McDonald said.
The judge, too, expressed frustration, noting that the plea deal had been on the table since June, but no decision has been made.
“We keep getting dates after dates after dates,” McDonald said. “You have to plan around the dates, you have your emotions that come, and your family has to take off work.”
Despite the setbacks, the two mothers remain committed to seeking justice for their children. Sampson, who has attended every hearing, vowed to continue pushing for a resolution.
“I think Jasmine is proud of me,” Sampson said. “I’m the one who keeps pushing through this, and the more I speak out for her, it gives me the strength to know that if I keep speaking out and keep pushing through, the justice will come.”
The next court date for the families is scheduled for January, after the holidays. The judge made it clear that Milligan would need to decide whether to plead guilty or go to trial by then.
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