The Indiana County Court of Common Pleas will be busy with many different hearings today, including one for a man charged with robbing a convenience store in downtown Indiana.
54-year-old Joseph Frances Hamay is charged with robbery by force, robbery with the threat of immediate serious injury, theft, receiving stolen property, simple assault and possession of an instrument of crime for an incident on April 6th at a store in the 700 block of Philadelphia Street. Indiana Borough Police say that Hamay went behind the counter of the store, brandished a knife and demanded cash. Police were able to identify Hamay through store surveillance video. They also found the clothes worn during the robbery discarded nearby. Hamay was taken into custody in White Township and has been in Indiana County Jail since his arrest.
Also due in court today for a pre-trial hearing is 40-year-old Heidi Jo Miller of Indiana. She is charged with drug delivery resulting in death and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver for an incident on October 18th of 2022. Officers were dispatched at that time to a home in the 800 block of Oak Street for a reported drug overdose and found the victim, a 26-year-old woman, in cardiac arrest. While aid was rendered, she died due to the overdose. Detectives discovered through their investigation that Miller allegedly sold fentanyl and crack cocaine to the victim just before they died.
Miller was arrested April 11th by members of Indiana Borough and State Police along with officers from the county adult probation office. She remains in Indiana County jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.
