News writer
A convicted murderer who was released from prison in 2022 is now accused of carrying out a violent, weeks-long crime spree across Pennsylvania. This crime spree ended after police were able to trace a stolen lottery ticket back to him.
Robberies escalated over time
According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by York police and obtained by Penn Live, the first reported robbery occurred on October 20, 2025. This robbery took place at the Snack and Smoke store on East Philadelphia Street.
Surveillance footage showed a gunman stealing approximately $5,000 from the register before fleeing the area.
Five days later, police say the suspect, who was later identified as 44-year-old Clyde Fa, returned to the area. This time, he allegedly stole items from a Dollar General on North Sherman Street and made threatening remarks to an employee when confronted.
Then, on November 10, Fa returned to that same Dollar General and pulled a knife during a robbery attempt.
Court documents state Fa forced an employee to lead him to the back office where the manager was located. At that time, he stabbed the store manager multiple times. The manager was able to escape, and Fa fled the store without taking any money.
Lottery tickets come into play
The robberies continued for Fa, as police said a second robbery at Snack and Smoke took place on November 25. This time, Fa stole approximately $1,000 at gunpoint.
Three days later, Fa reportedly entered through the back door of a Sunoco gas station in West Manchester Township, according to court documents. Once inside, he ejected a round from his handgun and ordered customers and employees to get on the floor. He then demanded cash.
Police said he stole between $1,000 and $2,000 in cash, along with multiple Pennsylvania Lottery tickets.
Stolen lottery tickets help crack the case
While police were not able to identify the suspect up to this point, things changed after he stole those lottery tickets.
The day after stealing the lottery tickets, Fa cashed one of the stolen lottery tickets at a convenience store on East Philadelphia Street. Police were able to obtain surveillance footage, which showed the same individual seen in previous robberies cashing in the ticket while wearing identical shoes and gloves.
Investigators were able to use a statewide criminal database to confirm the suspect’s identity as Fa.
Court documents show that Fa's brother lived less than one block from where Fa was last seen, which was on December 4. On that day, he allegedly robbed a Smoke and Chill, stealing $1,300 in cash.
An arrest was made
Police were able to track down Fa at his brother's residence, and he's now been arrested. Officers said he was wearing the same clothing seen in surveillance footage.
When searching the home, police found stolen property, multiple pieces of clothing linked to the robberies, a black Glock 9mm handgun, and the knife used in the Dollar General stabbing.
Fa was previously convicted of third-degree murder stemming from a 1995 killing in York. He was sentenced to 12 to 30 years in prison and was released in June 2022. Because of that conviction, he is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
For these new crimes, Fa was charged with attempted homicide and 18 related offenses. He was booked into jail, and the case remains pending in York County court.
Enjoy playing the Pennsylvania Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
Comments