Four of the eight defendants charged in connection with the murder of a West Wheatfield Township man in October are due in Indiana County Court for criminal call hearings today.
Court documents say 21-year-old Isaac Buchkoski, 18-year-old Mia Catalfano, and 20-year-old Thomas Rivera, all of Johnstown, and 21-year-old Desean Alvarez of Hammond, Indiana, will go before President Judge Thomas Bianco this morning for their criminal call hearings. They, along with 18-year-olds Taylyn Edwards, Summer Settlemeyer, Jesse Lee Wadsworth and 14-year-old Harmony Hayward were charged with criminal homicide, kidnapping and aggravated assault along with conspiracy to each of those charges following the death of Hayden Robert Gareffa on October 20, 2022. Edwards also faces an additional charge of statutory sexual assault.
Police reported Gareffa missing on October 21st from a home in East Wheatfield Township. Troopers announced on October 24th that Gareffa’s body was found in a remote wooded area of Brush Valley Township at 4:00 AM. He was pronounced dead on the scene by Indiana County Coroner Jerry Overman, Jr. and he ruled his death a homicide.
Criminal Call is designed to update the court and the parties involved on the progress of a case. Proceedings are usually postponed to a later date, but on occasion, guilty pleas have been entered at the Criminal Call phase.
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