Homicide suspect, dubbed 'Big Diablo,' heads toward potential trial

A suspect accused of killing another man, reportedly over a woman, could face a local jury at trial.

Tyrell Christian, 29, is scheduled to be arraigned on a criminal homicide charge in York County Common Pleas Court on May 15. He is also charged in a separate case related to his arrest.

Christian is accused of shooting 19-year-old Ethan Mooney multiple times late in the night of Sept. 27, 2022. Mooney died from his injuries about an hour later at a local hospital.

One witness told York City Police he purchased crack from Christian the night of the shooting and identified Christian’s vehicle. He alleged he saw Christian approach Mooney, and then he heard the first of what police said were five gunshots. The witness fled after hearing the first shot, according to charging documents.

Another witness, according to investigators, identified Christian by the name “Big Diablo” and said she heard he shot Mooney because he “disrespected his girl.”

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Christian was charged Sept. 28, the day after the shooting. He was arrested four months later.

York City police stopped a vehicle for having expired registration on North West Street the night of Jan. 11. During the traffic stop, police realized Christian was one of the people in the car.

He fled when officers tried to take him into custody in the homicide case, police said. He allegedly led officers on a foot chase until they stopped him and arrested him.

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Christian was charged in that incident, as a separate case, with flight to avoid apprehension, having false identification and possession of marijuana.

He also faces felony counts of illegal possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with an altered serial number and carrying a firearm without a license after police said a gun was found in the stopped car where he was sitting.

Following his arrest, the homicide case advanced through District Judge Joel Toluba’s court. The judge decided on April 20 there was enough evidence to send the case to Common Pleas Court.

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Christian’s homicide case will join his arrest case there, which had already moved out of a district court in March.

Court documents show that after Christian’s scheduled arraignment in the homicide case, he has another hearing set for three days later, May 18, on the firearms and fleeing charges.

— Reach Aimee Ambrose at aambrose@yorkdispatch.com or on Twitter at @aimee_TYD.