A Johnstown woman has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2022 murder of a man in Indiana County.
Taylyn Edwards, 20, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Hayden Robert Garreffa, 19, of Ebensburg.
As part of the mandatory life sentence, Edwards will not be eligible for parole, according to Indiana County District Attorney Robert Manzi. Edwards also received a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison in the kidnapping of Garreffa.
The cases of seven co-defendants remain to be resolved, Manzi said.
Garreffa was kidnapped and killed on the same day, according to state police. On Oct. 20, two days after he had been reported missing, his body was found in a remote, wooded area of Brushvalley Township.
Garreffa was beaten, kicked and stabbed to death after being lured out of a relative’s home. Police said the incident began after one of the defendants held a personal grudge against Garreffa.
In accordance with her plea, Edwards is to be provided psychiatric or psychological treatment as available through the state Department of Corrections, Manzi said. He said such a plea doesn’t change the grading of the offense or sentencing guidelines.
Also charged with homicide are Desean G. Alvarez, 21, of Hammond, Ind., along with Johnstown residents Isaac Joel Buchkoski, 22; Mia Shai Catalfano, 19; Thomas A. Rivera, 22; Summer I. Settlemyer, 20; and Jesse L. Wadsworth, 19.
Originally charged as a juvenile, Harmony R. Hayward, 16, of Johnstown later was charged as an adult with criminal homicide.
