Victim identified in Thanksgiving-eve Lancaster killing

Officials in Lancaster Friday identified the victim of Wednesday’s daylight shooting in which a Lancaster man was shot once in the back of the head while sitting in his car on a busy street.

Court records show that the suspect in the killing had been arrested in connection with an armed robbery just more than a month ago – following several stretches in prison for violent crimes – yet was out of jail at the time the victim was gunned down.

Delvelceo Kirk, 26, died from a single gunshot to the back of the head, said Karla Knight Deese, Lancaster County deputy coroner. An autopsy was performed Friday morning, she said.

Police found Kirk slumped behind the wheel of his Chevrolet Malibu at about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday on Memorial Park Road west of Lancaster. About a half-hour later, officers arrested Danielle Lamar Peay, 28, at his home nearby.

Police have made public a motive for the killing. The case remains under investigation, said Doug Barfield, spokesman for the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office. Peay is charged with murder, attempted murder and firearms charges. He is being held without bond at the Lancaster County Detention Center.

Court records show that on Oct. 12, Peay was charged by Lancaster police with armed robbery and weapons charges. He was later released on bond pending a preliminary hearing.

Peay had been out of prison just months at the time he was arrested in October. He had been convicted of several violent crimes dating back to 2006, court records show. In December 2014, Peay was sentenced to a year in prison after pleading guilty to a second offense of criminal domestic violence and assault and battery.

In 2013, Peay was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to several crimes, including burglary, receiving stolen goods, weapons violations and arson. Before that, Peay was in prison twice for convictions in 2006 and 2010, records show.

This story was originally published November 27, 2015 at 8:35 PM with the headline "Victim identified in Thanksgiving-eve Lancaster killing."