Eight to stand trial in killing of teenager in Indiana County

INDIANA, Pa — All homicide and kidnapping charges against several young adults accused of involvement in the killing of a 19- year- old Indiana County man were bound over for trial on Friday.

Hayden Robert Garreffa died Oct. 20 from multiple sharp wounds and bluntforce trauma, Indiana County Coroner Jerry Overman testified Friday during a preliminary hearing for eight co-defendants, all of whom were present in shackles for the hearing at the Indiana County Courthouse.

Some of them allegedly barely knew each other, and barely knew Garreffa, but all were allegedly present during his murder in a remote wooded area in Brush Valley Township.

District Judge Susanne Steffee decided after the hearing that the Indiana County District Attorney’s Office provided sufficient evidence for the defendants to be formally arraigned on all charges of kidnapping, homicide and aggravated assault.

Additional felony charges of statutory sexual assault were filed by the prosecution and upheld by Judge Steffee against Taylyn Nashel Edwards, 18, and Summer Isabella Settlemyer, 18.

Hours after the killing, both women allegedly engaged in sexual activities with a 14-year-old girl who is also a co-defendant in the murder case and will be tried as an adult.

The adult defendants charged in Garreffa’s murder are Ms. Edwards, of Gray Street, Johnstown; Ms. Settlemyer, of Cooper Avenue, Johnstown; Isaac Joel Buchkoski, 21, of Cooper Avenue — Settlemyer’s boyfriend and Garreffa’s cousin; Desean Garcia Alvarez, 21, of Hammond, Indiana; Mia Shai Catalfano, 18, of Johnstown; Thomas Alan Rivera, 20, of Johnstown; and Jesse Lee Wadsworth, 18, of Johnstown.

Judge Steffee denied bail for all eight and has ordered them to continue to be jailed while they await further proceedings.

Ms. Catalfano’s attorney, Allen Roth, told the media after a break in the preliminary hearing that he had secured immunity for his client, Ms. Catalfano, in the case.

“Everything about her will be wiped from the record,” he said.

Investigators have alleged that a group of people arrived on Oct. 20 at Garreffa’s grandmother’s home in Buffington Township, Indiana County, and led Garreffa to a waiting red Dodge Caravan.

Garreffa had a verbal dispute earlier that day with Mr. Buchkoski, who “bore ill will” toward him, according to police.

Ms. Catalfano testified on Friday that Ms. Settlemyer and Mr. Buchkoski orchestrated the group’s gathering to pick up Garreffa and jump him — a plan that Ms. Catalfano said surprised her and perhaps other defendants.

She said she did not know Garreffa and objected aloud to her involvement, but was not acknowledged by anyone in the group, including her boyfriend, Mr. Rivera.

After transporting Garreffa to the woods, multiple defendants spent a few minutes striking, stomping and kicking Garreffa while others stood by, according to Ms. Catalfano.

She said that she was the only one who remained in the van and that she ducked and covered her eyes during the assault.

However, she said, she saw Mr. Buchkoski return to the car to retrieve a knife from the vehicle.

Then, she said, Mr. Rivera offered to take the knife from Mr. Buchkoski, saying, “Do you want me to do it?” Then Ms. Edwards took the knife, saying, “I want to do it,” according to Ms. Catalfano.