#Ex-high school football star charged with killing brother in Pennsylvania

A former Pennsylvania high school football standout fatally shot his older brother, prosecutors alleged this week.

Michael Barbuto, an 18-year-old Beaver County man who played wide receiver and defensive back in his senior season last year at Central Valley High School, was charged Tuesday with criminal homicide in the July 15 shooting death of his 29-year-old brother, Vincent Barbuto, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Hopewell Township police found Vincent Barbuto bloodied and unresponsive when they responded to his home and a coroner later pronounced him dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds, the newspaper reports.

Barbuto was charged after several witnesses told investigators a Honda sedan was parked in front of his brother’s home when police suspect the shooting occurred, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Barbuto’s mother told police investigators during an interview that she owned a Honda sedan that matched the description of the vehicle, which was also caught in surveillance footage outside the home. She also said that her son was using the sedan when it was spotted in front of Vincent Barbuto’s home, the affidavit states.

It’s unclear what sparked the shooting, the newspaper reports.

Barbuto’s cellphone was also found to be in the area of his brother’s home at the time, police said in a criminal complaint.

Investigators were in contact with Barbuto’s attorney to arrange for him to surrender, prosecutors said.

A message seeking comment from the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office and Hopewell Township police was not immediately returned Wednesday.

As a senior last year, Barbuto led his high school team to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 3A title game, but lost to Wyoming Area High School at Hershey Park Stadium.

Vincent Barbuto, meanwhile, had graduated from Center Area High School and Pittsburgh Technical Institute. He was working as an electronics technician at the time of his death, his obituary states.