A Lancaster man serving life in prison for fatally shooting a man in the city five years ago will not get a new trial, an appellate court ruled this week.

Victor M. Tirado was convicted in 2018 of first-degree murder for shooting 21-year-old Rahdir Maxton in the back of the head in a parking lot in the 200 block of East Fulton Street.

In Tirado’s request for relief he argues his trial attorney was ineffective and failed to ask the trial judge provide jurors with an instruction about two witnesses he claimed were accomplices.

The Pennsylvania Superior Court denied that request this week, finding that a “corrupt-source instruction” was not necessary.

The two witnesses were in a vehicle with Tirado before and after the shooting. Both testified about what they saw and heard Tirado say.

Tirado, now 55, argued those two men were the only witnesses who placed him at the murder scene – a claim the appellate court rejected.

The state Superior Court pointed to other evidence and testimony that placed Tirado at the scene, including:

- Surveillance video recordings that depicted Tirado’s “distinct gait”

- Maxton’s fiancée’s testimony that Maxton went to meet Tirado

- Cellphone records that confirmed that arranged meeting

First Deputy District Attorney Travis S. Anderson, who won the trial conviction, called Tirado a “cold-blooded killer” at sentencing.

Lancaster County Judge Donald Totaro ordered the life sentence and previously denied Tirado’s request for relief.

Assistant District Attorney Mari Andracchio represented the Commonwealth in the recent post-conviction matter.

Lancaster city police Detective Stanley Roache filed charges.

MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright