Johnstown 14-year-old charged with murder, to be tried as adult, in Indiana County stabbing

Patrick Buchnowski, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read
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Nov. 30—HOMER CITY, Pa. — A 14-year-old Johnstown girl will be prosecuted as an adult in connection with the October stabbing death of Hayden Robert Garreffa, of Lilly, Indiana County District Attorney Robert Manzi Jr., announced Tuesday.

State police in Indiana charged Harmony Rhyne Hayward with criminal homicide. Hayward remains incarcerated in a juvenile detention center.

"This is a long and arduous prosecution," Manzi said in a news release.

"We will continue to work in concert with the Pennsylvania State Police to bring justice for Hayden."

Hayward was one of eight people accused of kidnapping Garreffa on Oct. 20 from his grandmother's home in Buffington Township, Indiana County.

Garreffa's body was found two days later.

Charged with criminal homicide were Isaac Joel Buchkoski, 21; Mia Shai Catalfano, 18; Taylyn Nashell Edwards, 18; Thomas Alan Rivera, 20; Summer Isabella Settlemyer, 18; and Jesse Lee Wadsworth, 18, all from Johnstown; and Desean Garcia Alvarez, 21, of Hammond, Indiana.

They are being held without bond in the Indiana County Jail.

Homicide investigators said Garreffa was beaten, stomped on and died from multiple stab wounds to the upper body, neck and head.

His body was found in tall grass near Oneida Mine Road in Brush Valley Township, Indiana County, about two miles from his grandmother's home.

Investigators believe that Garreffa's cousin, Buchkoski, "bore ill will" toward him stemming from an earlier incident involving Buchkoski's girlfriend.

Investigators said that after the murder, they found Buchkoski and his girlfriend, Settlemyer, in Johnstown's Coopersdale section with their hair dyed different colors.

Edwards, of Gray Street, Johnstown, "confessed to stabbing (Garreffa) several times" with an edged weapon, police said.

Investigators recovered a red 2001 Dodge Caravan believed to have been used in the kidnapping.

Garreffa suffered from autism and was a 2021 graduate of Forest Hills High School.

Preliminary hearings are scheduled for Jan. 13 at the Indiana County courthouse.