Joselyn Thomas screamed her last words, police said.

“A.J., stop, A.J. stop.”

It was Wednesday afternoon, and Thomas, 18, of North Versailles, had been arguing with Albert Williams III, a witness told police.

Investigators said the witness heard three gunshots inside the bedroom of unit G in the Cambridge Square Apartments in Monroeville. Thomas fell to the floor.

And then, police said, Williams stepped into the bedroom and shot Thomas three more times while she lay there.

Not two hours earlier, around 1:20 p.m., a person whom police did not identify, had reported Thomas missing. The person told police that Thomas was with Williams on Tuesday, but she didn’t come home or answer her phone.

Allegheny County Police charged Williams, of Wilkinsburg, with homicide, a gun crime and tampering with evidence. They said he turned himself in on Wednesday evening, accompanied by his lawyer, and confessed to shooting Thomas.

Wednesday was Williams’ 19th birthday. County police Sgt. Todd Dolfi said Thursday that Williams and Thomas were in a relationship.

Williams claimed self-defense and said Thomas “picked up” a pair of scissors during an argument, according to a criminal complaint.

He told investigators that he shot Thomas three times, the complaint said.

Williams left the apartment and drove away.

Someone called police around 3:16 p.m. to report a murder, the complaint said. Police found Thomas’ body inside the bedroom of Apartment G.

Investigators found no gun, but police said Williams claimed he dropped his gun on the couch.

That discrepancy led police to charge him with evidence tampering.

Police did not identify the witness who provided details of the shooting or say whether the witness was inside the apartment at the time.

Williams is being held without bail in the Allegheny County Jail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 23.

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