Venango man pleads guilty to attempted murder

A Venango man has pleaded guilty to attempted murder for trying to kill a Meadville man in the city’s Plateau neighborhood last year.

Martin Leroy Chaney, 62, pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted first-degree murder Thursday before Crawford County Judge Francis J. Schultz and now faces six to 20 years in state prison.

The Meadville Police Department charged Chaney with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, simple assault and possession of criminal tools in the April 30, 2023, attack.

Police allege Chaney shot the man five times near his home and also tried to stab him. Police claimed that the attack occurred while the man was walking his dog.

According to testimony at Chaney’s preliminary hearing on June 15, 2023, Chaney’s attack stemmed from a family dispute.

Crawford County District Attorney Paula DiGiacomo agreed not to prosecute the other charges in exchange for Chaney’s guilty plea to attempted first-degree murder.

Chaney remains in the Crawford County Jail without bail pending formal sentencing from Schultz on Dec. 4.