From Pennsylvania State Police
The Pennsylvania State Police and Indiana County District Attorney Robert Manzi, Jr. announced Tuesday afternoon that the juvenile defendant, identified as Harmony Rhyne Hayward, 14, of Johnstown, PA, was formally charged today with Criminal Homicide stemming from the Oct. 20, 2022 death of 19-year-old Hayden Robert Garreffa of West Wheatfield Township.
Hayward, who was originally charged as a juvenile, is now charged as an adult in this case. She remains incarcerated in a juvenile detention facility and is awaiting her preliminary arraignment before Magisterial District Judge Susanne Steffee.
The other seven defendants, each of whom is charged with Criminal Homicide, are identified as:
1. Desean Garcia Alvarez, 21, Hammond, IN
2. Isaac Joel Buchkoski, 21, Johnstown, PA
3. Mia Shai Catalfano, 18, of Johnstown, PA
4. Taylyn Nashell Edwards, 18, of Johnstown, PA
5. Thomas Alan Rivera, 20, of Johnstown, PA
6. Summer Isabella Settlemyer, 18, of Johnstown, PA
7. Jesse Lee Wadsworth, 18, of Johnstown, PA
Preliminary hearings are scheduled for Jan. 13, 2023, at 9 a.m. at the Indiana County Courthouse, Courtroom 1, 825 Philadelphia Street, Indiana, PA 15701.
“I appreciate the continued efforts of the Pennsylvania State Police in this serious case,” said Manzi. “This will be a long and arduous prosecution. We will continue to work in concert with the Pennsylvania State Police to bring justice for Hayden.”
On October 24th, state police from the Troop A barracks announced that Garreffa’s body was discovered in a remote, wooded area in Brush Valley Township around 4 a.m. Indiana County Coroner Jerry Overman, Jr. was called in to the scene and ruled Garreffa’s death a homicide. Further investigation by the Troop A Criminal Investigation Section found that Garreffa was the victim of a kidnapping and the subsequent homicide.
