Some high-profile cases are coming up in Indiana County Courts today for criminal call hearings.
One case relates to the kidnapping and killing of Hayden Garreffa from the Dilltown area. 22-year-old Thomas Rivera of Johnstown was one of the eight suspects accused of kidnapping him on October 20th of 2022, stabbing him and leaving his body in an area of tall grass and brush near Onedia Mine Road in Brush Valley Township. Rivera is charged with criminal homicide, kidnapping to facilitate a felony, kidnapping to induce terror, aggravated assault and conspiracy to each charge.
Also due for a criminal call hearing today is 37-year-old Michael Whitfield from Greensburg, who faces two counts of attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment, and single counts of kidnapping, kidnapping a minor, robbery-inflicting serious injury, aggravated assault, robbery of a motor vehicle, terroristic threats connected with an incident on July 12th of last year. He allegedly carjacked a woman’s car at Keeper of the Flame in Blairsville and used a box cutter to cut her face and neck. He was caught in Georgia the next day.
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.
Comments