Man accused in deadly Beaver Falls shooting faces judge for first time

Emotional family members of Eric Mason packed a courtroom on Tuesday.

It comes just over a month after Mason’s body was found wrapped in a tarp in an abandoned Beaver Falls building.

The man accused of the crime, Daniel Felo, was on the run after a warrant was issued, eventually being taken into custody in Fayette County.

As Felo faced a judge for the very first time, his defense attorney Nicole Nino said he continues to maintain his innocence.

“He’s frustrated that these accusations were made based on all this hearsay that was made, and quite frankly he’s adamant he’s not responsible for this tragic event,” Nino said.

That’s even after his preliminary hearing where the judge held all charges including robbery and homicide. The main witness to the Commonwealth’s case is a woman who lives across from Felo and said she heard Felo say he shot the victim and attempted to cut up Mason but couldn’t stomach it.

Nino pushed back, asking why the fact that she heard Felo say he shot Mason was never in any police report and the autopsy showed no wounds other than a gunshot.

“The thing that is not measured at a preliminary hearing is credibility and we truly believe the Commonwealth has an issue with their witnesses credibility going forward,” Nino said.

Felo was taken back to the Beaver County Jail. His trial is set for July.

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