Bellefonte man charged with attempted murder, told police ‘the devil made him do it’
Nov. 26, 2025 update: D’Andre McCaslin was sentenced Oct. 23 to time-served in jail and at least two years of probation. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats, strangulation and simple assault. The remaining charges, including attempted murder, were dropped.
was sentenced Aug. 7 to two years of probation, 30 hours of community service and $30,314 in restitution. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
A Bellefonte man was charged Saturday with attempted murder after telling investigators he tried to kill a girl because “the devil made him do it.”
D’Andre J. McCaslin, 20, admitted to strangling the girl about 8:50 p.m. Friday along the 200 block of Beaver Farm Lane, borough police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause. A caller reported hearing fighting and items falling inside the residence.
McCaslin told an officer he “needed to make a sacrifice to his family,” police wrote. He also said he smoked a marijuana vaping device earlier in the day, but did not believe it contributed, police wrote.
The girl was left bloodied, bruised, crying and traumatized, police wrote. She feared that first responders coming up the stairs were McCaslin and repeatedly asked if he was out of the residence, police wrote.
Her age was not included in the charging document, but Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna said she is younger than 18.
She also told investigators that McCaslin said a lot of “bizarre things” before the assault, police wrote. During the attack that lasted an estimated three to four minutes, the girl said she “accepted she was going to die and ‘just had faith,’ “ police wrote.
The assault stopped when McCaslin heard police at the door, an officer wrote. No defense lawyer was listed and he had not applied as of Monday morning to be represented by the Centre County Public Defender Office.
McCaslin was also charged with felony counts of aggravated assault and strangulation, as well as misdemeanor counts of simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct.
McCaslin is the third man in less than a year to be charged with attempted murder in the Bellefonte area. Matthew J. Davis, 37, was charged after setting fire to a house in Spring Township. James R. Surovec, was charged after stabbing a man. Both of their cases are pending.
McCaslin did not post bail, which was set Saturday at $115,000 by District Judge Don Hahn. McCaslin is incarcerated at the Centre County Correctional Facility. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 18.
This story was originally published June 10, 2024 at 11:49 AM.