Two days before he was gunned down on a Wilkinsburg street, 17-year-old Darin Hobdy discovered a burglary at his friend’s home in Plum.

Deontae Nalls’ apartment had been broken into, police said, and $30,000 in cash, a pound of marijuana and an assault rifle were stolen.

Investigators believe that burglary — and Nalls’ suspicion that Hobdy was involved — led to the Penn Hills teen’s death.

They said that Nalls, 24, and another man, Daeshuan Eric Smith, 22, of Penn Hills, conspired on the night of May 23, 2021, to kill Hobdy.

Their jury trial, before Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Thomas E. Flaherty began Monday morning.

Hobdy’s body was found with multiple gunshot wounds about 10:40 p.m. on Vantine Street. Police recovered casings from two weapons at the scene — a 9 mm and a .40-caliber.

During opening statements, Deputy District Attorney Alison Bragle told jurors that she would present video surveillance and cell phone records that would link both defendants to the crime scene.

Nalls picked Hobdy up that evening under the guise of going to buy more marijuana to replace what was stolen, she said.

And during the drive, Nalls was in contact with only one person — Smith. The criminal complaint showed that a call was made to Nalls from Smith’s phone about three minutes before the shooting.

Video surveillance near Vantine Street showed vehicles matching both Smith’s and Nalls’ in the area and then leaving the scene after the 911 call, Bragle said.

According to the criminal complaint, surveillance showed a green Nissan that was missing a fog light and made a “very distinct mechanical sound.” Nalls drove a car matching that description.

The other vehicle, police said, was a light colored SUV with a sunroof. They later linked Smith to a similar vehicle.

In addition, Bragle told the jury that an expert on cell phone location will show that both men’s cell phones were in the area of the shooting at the time it occurred.

But defense attorneys for both Smith and Nalls said their clients were not guilty.

Casey White, who represents Smith, said there were no witnesses who could say his client was at the scene that night, and no one to say he pulled the trigger.

“There’s no DNA. There’s no fingerprints. There’s no hair fibers. There’s no forensic evidence to suggest Daeshuan Smith was involved in this murder,” White said.

“The bottom line, ladies and gentlemen, is that Daeshuan Smith should not be sitting here.”

White dismissed the video surveillance that allegedly links his client’s vehicle to the scene.

He said the grainy video shows no license plate, there’s no identifying information on the vehicle and no hits on the city’s license plate readers.

“They don’t know who’s driving any of the vehicles,” he said. “They want you to surmise it could possibly be Mr. Smith.”

The only evidence against his client, White said, is the cell phone location data.

“That’s the evidence the commonwealth wants to establish and prove beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Defense attorney Owen Seman, who represents Nalls, told the jury that his client never suspected Hobdy of being involved in the burglary.

Seman said that his client was legally allowed to own guns and willingly turned them over to investigators.

He also turned over his phone, the attorney said, noting there were no threats or evidence of a conspiracy contained in it.

“But that’s the motive the commonwealth wants to use here,” Seman said.

He said there is no evidence of retaliation.

“The death of Darin Hobdy, a 17-year-old, is a tragedy,” Seman said. “But charging people because there’s a tragedy, that’s not the answer.”