kstephens@altoonamirror.com
HOLLIDAYSBURG — An Altoona man will contest first-degree murder and related charges filed against him in the November death of a 29-year-old Hollidaysburg man.
During formal arraignment in Blair County Court on Tuesday, 35-year-old Vasilios Pentsas Jr. acknowledged his entry of not-guilty pleas to his criminal charges and advised Judge Daniel J. Milliron that he wants a jury trial.
Altoona police arrested Pentsas in November and accused him of killing Andrew Ozio who was found dead on Nov. 9 in an alley on the 100 block of East Crawford Avenue.
Police said Ozio was lying in a pool of blood with three gunshot wounds, one each in his neck, chest and head. A lead pipe and three .40-caliber casings were found near Ozio’s body.