Mitchell.

Testifying via video at the Lycoming County Courthouse, a 14-year-old girl shared for the first time in court the horrific trauma of witnessing the murder of her 18-year-old brother, Semaj Mozee, in the family’s Campbell Street second-floor apartment more than two years ago.

The fatal shooting occurred at 667 Campbell St. about 12:05 a.m. on Oct. 5, 2020, and the alleged gunman, Seneca Martin Mitchell Jr., 21, and a man city police say was with him, Rocellus Carter, 22, known as “Ziggy,” were arrested early last month on charges in connection with the case.

After listening to nearly 90 minutes of testimony Wednesday from Mozee’s sister and lead investigator Agent Aaron Levan at the two men’s preliminary hearing, District Judge Aaron Biichle ruled there was sufficient evidence to hold Mitchell and Carter on all charges related to the murder. The hearing was held in a second-floor courtroom at the courthouse for security purposes.

Mozee’s sister testified she heard a knock at the door and opened it just a crack for less than five seconds. She saw two men, one armed with a handgun standing on an interior landing. She said both men were dressed in black. Even though the two wore masks, she said she recognized the gunman as Mitchell by his skin tone and a tattoo near his eye. Mitchell and Mozee used to be very close friends and the sister knew Mitchell because he and her brother hung out with one another daily before, according to investigators, the two had a falling out.

The sister said Mozee pushed her aside and slammed the door just seconds before two shots came through the door. The girl testified that after the gunfire, she heard Michell say “Ziggy come on.”

Carter.

While retelling the last moments she would see her brother alive, the juvenile held up quite well during her lengthy testimony, which involved cross examination by both Mitchell’s and Carter’s attorneys. However, when her part was over, she became distraught and buried her forehead in her right hand.

Even though she witnessed the shooting, it would not be until the summer of 2021 that she was prepared to talk in detail about the trauma she experienced. She was interviewed by a caseworker with an area child advocacy center. Although she mentioned both Mitchell and Carter to the caseworker, Levan testified that Mitchell’s and Carter’s names had already surfaced very early in the investigation from other sources.

Levan testified that after being shot, Mozee was rushed to nearby UPMC Williamsport, where he was pronounced dead about 1 a.m. An autopsy report stating that Mozee died of a single gunshot wound to the neck was submitted as evidence.

Mitchell, of 1610 Sherman St., will face further court action on charges of criminal homicide, burglary, aggravated assault, discharging a firearm inside an occupied structure, possession of an instrument of crime, recklessly endangering and conspiracy. Carter will go to trial on charges of murder of the second degree, burglary and four counts of conspiracy. The two remain behind bars in the Lycoming County Prison on no bail.