Jan 23, 2019 3 min read

One man is behind bars for allegedly holding a man captive in the basement of a Masontown home for days and assaulting him with a gun so badly he is hospitalized in intensive care.

David M. Clark, 42, of Dilliner, is facing charges of attempted homicide, kidnap, accepting possession of a firearm from a person with an active protection for abuse order, aggravated assault, receiving stolen property, unlawful restraint, terroristic threats, possession of a weapon and harassment.

The victim, Alan Lipscomb, was flown by medical helicopter to a hospital for treatment of head injuries.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed in his case, Masontown police Officer Zachary A. Kodric spotted Lipscomb stumbling down the street in the area of Fairview Avenue and Ross Street at about 7:45 p.m. Monday. He was bleeding from deep cuts to the bridge of his nose and his head. He told the officer, “They are going to kill me. They had me tied up in the basement for days.”

Lipscomb reportedly connected with Kelly French on a dating site and met her at a Peach Street home. There, Clark allegedly bound Lipscomb’s hands with a game controller cord, beat him with a stolen gun and punched him.

On Jan. 15, 2017, French’s fiancé, 39-year-old Shane M. Henrick, was shot to death at the Peach Street house. Christopher C. Shellhammer, 31, is charged with homicide in the case. His private attorney, Michael Aubele, contends his client was set up for an ambush at the house.

German Township police assisted and responded with Masontown police to the Peach Street residence Monday night. French initially claimed she was alone in the house with her children. Two men, identified as Clark and her brother, Matthew Crowe, eventually came out after orders from police.

All three initially denied any knowledge of an assault. Crowe eventually told police Clark bound Lipscomb’s hands and assaulted him with a gun. He said he was scared of Clark because he was “speaking in tongues” and pointed the gun at him, French and the children after striking Lipscomb with it. French and Clark eventually directed police to the gun.

Clark claimed a man named “Brian Bear” forced him to assault Lipscomb while he watched. He said the man claimed Lipscomb had his cellphone and came to the house looking for it, and said he was coming back to “clean house.”

Crowe told police the man was there, but only briefly.

He said French did not want to be with Lipscomb and he heard the two yelling at each other.

The .38-caliber gun was found loaded with one round in the chamber. It was reported stolen from Uniontown, police said.

Clark was the only person facing charges in the case as of Tuesday afternoon.

He was arraigned Tuesday morning before District Judge Jennifer Jeffries. She set bail at $250,000. He remains in Fayette County Prison, unable to post bail.