Man headed to trial for death of 3-year-old girl shot while in bed

PITTSBURGH — The man charged in the death of a 3-year-old girl who was shot while in bed at a home in Pittsburgh’s Beltzhoover neighborhood will go to trial, it was determined Friday during a preliminary hearing.

Marlin Pritchard, 51, told police he was sleeping with a gun under his pillow while the girl, Chassity Clancy, and another child were in bed watching movies on Feb. 9. He woke up to the sound of the gun going off.

Clancy died of a gunshot wound.

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Detectives testified during Friday’s preliminary hearing that Pritchard told them the shooting was a “terrible accident.” One of the detectives said Pritchard was sobbing and was upset to the point that he was banging his head off an interview table.

Family members of Clancy were at the preliminary hearing and quietly wept as detectives described the shooting scene. They asked for privacy as they continue to grieve the loss of their little girl.

Clancy’s mother previously told Channel 11 News she was on vacation at the time of the shooting and her daughter was at a babysitter’s house. The babysitter was Pritchard’s girlfriend.

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Pritchard told police he thought people were after him, so that’s why he had a gun under his pillow. He also said the gun belonged to his father and it had been in the home for years.

Pritchard is charged with criminal homicide and endangering the welfare of children, as well as illegally having a weapon because he is a convicted felon.

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