Man wanted in connection with Pennsylvania killing arrested in Catskill

CATSKILL, N.Y. — A  Pennsylvania man wanted in connection with the March shooting death of a man in Pennsylvania was captured Friday by U.S. Marshals and authorities from Greene and Ulster counties.

U.S. Marshals said Travis Lanzo surrendered to investigators Friday afternoon following a surveillance operation at a Catskill home. The Ulster County Emergency Response team and the Ulster County Crisis Negotiations Team assisted at the scene, they added.

Lanzo was wanted on an arrest warrant out of Scranton, Pa., on charges of criminal homicide, criminal conspiracy to commit criminal homicide, aggravated assault and a firearms violation, all felonies, in connection with the March 12 shooting death of David Deshler, according to authorities.

Authorities said Lanzo shot Deshler multiple times, fatally wounding him, near Schultz Court and Mulberry Street in Scranton.

WNEP-TV, an ABC affiliate out of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Area area, reported on May 3 that there were three other people arrested in connection to Deshler’s killing. The station identified them as David Gaskins, Noah Ortiz and Jonathan Smith. The television station reported that Gaskins, Ortiz and Smith have all been arrested by Scranton police and each faces felony charges of homicide and conspiracy to commit homicide.

WNEP also reported that police believe the shooting was a case of mistaken identity. The station reported that Deshler’s brother told police that Deschler was walking to a neighborhood vigil when he was shot and killed.

Authorities said Scranton police requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals in locating and arresting Lanzo. Authorities said they determined Lanzo fled Pennsylvania and was hiding somewhere in the Capital Region.  The investigation later led them to the Catskill home.

Police said a search warrant executed after Lanzo’s arrest turned up suspected narcotics packaged for distribution, a firearm with an obliterated serial number and a “ghost gun” manufactured with no serial number.

Lanzo was taken to the Greene County Sheriff’s Office for processing and was scheduled to appear before a judge in Catskill later Friday, authorities said.

U.S. Marshalls had offered a $5,000 award for information leading to Lanzo’s arrest.

U.S. Marshalls were assisted by the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office and Albany Police Department.