Marchello D. Woodard, left, was shot and killed by Pennsylvania state parole agent Kevin J. Seelinger, right, on July 2, 2025. Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz is seeking a first-degree murder conviction against Seelinger at his trial, which reached jury deliberations on Oct. 13.
GREG WOHLFORD/ERIE TIMES-NEWS
USA TODAY Network, Reuters
After deliberating about 5½ hours on Oct. 13, the jurors in the murder trial of Pennsylvania state parole agent Kevin J. Seelinger told the judge in a note that “we cannot come to an agreement,” though the judge told them to resume deliberations at 9 a.m. on Oct. 14.
The jury’s failure to reach an agreement after the lengthy deliberations raised the possibility of a deadlocked jury and a mistrial – but only if the jury is unable to reach a unanimous verdict after more deliberations.
“I do believe it is in the best interest of the parties to continue to deliberate,” Erie County Judge John J. Trucilla told the jury after convening the panel in the courtroom around 6:40 p.m. on Oct. 13.
He urged the jurors to listen to one another’s points of views when they reconvene on Oct. 14.
“You have been working diligently,” Trucilla said.
The jurors are weighing whether to acquit Seelinger or convict him of first-degree murder, third-degree murder or voluntary or involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of parolee Marchello D. Woodard in Erie in July 2025. Seelinger is contending that he acted in self-defense and that the shooting was justified.
Earlier coverage from Oct. 13
First-degree murder is not the only charge jurors will be allowed to consider as they deliberate in the case of Pennsylvania state parole agent Kevin J. Seelinger, on trial for the shooting death of parolee Marchello D. Woodard in Erie in July 2025.
Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz has pursued a first-degree murder charge against Seelinger since his arrest in December.
But in charging the jury, Erie County Judge John J. Trucilla agreed, after consulting with the prosecution and defense, to add three other possible outcomes for the jury to consider, in addition to acquitting Seelinger. They are:
Third-degree murder, an unintentional killing with malice.Voluntary manslaughter, which can apply when a defendant mistakenly believes deadly force is necessary in self-defense.Involuntary manslaughter, an unlawful killing due to recklessness or gross negligence.
Seelinger also faces charges of aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person. Those secondary counts were included in Hirz’s original charging decision, along with first-degree murder, an intentional killing.
Trucilla finished charging the jury at 12:50 p.m. on Oct. 13 in the Erie County Court of Common Pleas. He made his address after the panel heard closing arguments from Hirz and Chad Vilushis, the lead defense lawyer for Seelinger.
The jury left the courtroom to begin deliberations at 12:55 p.m. Testimony began on Oct. 5.
Defense says Seelinger acted in self-defense
Vilushis asked for an acquittal on all charges. He argued that Seelinger shot Woodard in self-defense to stop Woodard from dragging him with his car during a compliance check in the 400 block of East 27th Street at about 9:45 p.m. on July 2, 2025. Seelinger said Woodard tried to drive away as he was leaning into the car through the driver’s side door, with the window down.
“This case should never have been charged,” Vilushis said in his closing argument. “Saying an unarmed man was killed is not enough to make it murder in Pennsylvania.”
He said Seelinger was justified, as a law-enforcement officer, to use deadly force to prevent death or serious bodily injury while he was attempting to arrest Woodard on suspicions that he was using drugs and was in violation of his parole.
“The focus should be on parolee Woodard’s actions,” Vilushis said. “The focus needs to be on parolee Woodard as well. This did not happen in a vacuum.”
“This is a self-defense case,” Vilushis said of Seelinger. “His life was in danger.”
DA tells jury that shooting was unjustified
Hirz urged the jury to convict Seelinger of first-degree murder. She said the evidence showed that Seelinger was never in danger and that he shot Woodard three times as Seelinger stood outside Woodard’s moving car, not as he was leaning inside it, as Seelinger testified on Oct. 12.
Seelinger said he feared he would get killed or seriously injured. Hirz said Seelinger, 36, could have let go of the car to avoid getting hurt without shooting Woodard, 43.
“The acceleration happened after he was shot,” Hirz said of Woodard driving away from Seelinger. “He was trying to get away because his parole agent is standing outside of the car, shooting at him.”
Hirz asked the jury to set aside any judgment of Woodard, who was on parole for a firearm and cocaine conviction. The police investigation after the shooting found that Woodard had cocaine on him and in his system when he was killed.
“No one is above the law,” Hirz told the jury. She said of Woodard: “The law protects people because they are people, not because they are perfect.”
Hirz urged the jury to find Seelinger guilty of murder.
“This is not a manslaughter case,” she said. “This is not a negligence case.”
Hirz said the injuries to Woodard warranted a conviction for first-degree murder. One of the shots struck him in the back, hitting his lungs and aorta, according to evidence neither the prosecution nor defense disputes. Hirz cited Pennsylvania law that allows intent to be inferred from the use of a deadly weapon upon a vital part of the body.
“He intentionally used his firearm to shoot into Marchello Woodard,” Hirz said.
Contact Ed Palattella at epalattella@usatodayco.com or 814-870-1813.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Seelinger jury says ‘we cannot reach agreement.’ Deliberations go on
Reporting by Ed Palattella, Erie Times-News / Erie Times-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Marchello D. Woodard, top, was shot and killed by Pennsylvania state parole agent Kevin J. Seelinger, bottom, on July 2, 2025. Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz is seeking a first-degree murder conviction against Seelinger. GREG WOHLFORD/ERIE TIMES-NEWS USA TODAY Network, Reuters
Copyright Reuters or USA Today via Reuters Connect
This story was originally published October 13, 2026 at 2:11 PM.