HOLLIDAYSBURG — A Blair County judge on Monday denied a request by Nicholas Adam Horner to have his double homicide trial held elsewhere or an out of county jury brought in.
Judge Jolene Kopriva ruled from the bench that efforts will be made at the time of jury selection to find Blair County residents who have not formed an opinion in the case.
Kopriva is expected to rule in the near future on a number of other issues, including experts to aid in the defense, Chief Deputy District Attorney Jackie Bernard said.
Horner, 29, a Johnstown native, is accused of gunning down Ray Williams, 64, formerly of Northern Cambria, moments after he shot and killed Scott Garlick, 19, an employee at the 58th Street Subway sandwich shop.
The killings took place April 6 in Altoona.
The prosecution will seek the death penalty if Horner is convicted of first degree murder.
Drug death, overdose reported in Altoona
ALTOONA – Altoona police are investigating the death of one woman from a drug overdose and the overdose of another woman who was revived by medical personnel.
Police said they were called to a convenience store along the 400 block of 25th Avenue around 1:15 a.m. Monday and found two young women unconscious in a public restroom.
Drug paraphernalia was visible on and about the area of both women, and a needle was still in the arm of the 21-year-old Altoona woman who died, police said.
The other woman was revived by medical personnel, police said. She was later released from the hospital.
Police said the investigation revealed that heroin was directly involved in the death of the woman.
Police investigate attack on priest
CONNELLSVILLE – Police say a masked man attacked a priest by hitting him with a hard object at his Fayette County parish.
The Rev. Joseph Bonafed, 48, was attacked in or near the rectory at Immaculate Conception Church, where he is pastor, Connellsville police said.
Jerry Zufelt, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg, said church officials are saddened by the attack.
Bonafed needed stitches after he was hit, but the priest has returned to work and is doing “as well as can be expected,” Zufelt said.
Police and church officials weren’t offering a motive for the attack and said nobody has been arrested.
The masked attacker was dressed in black. The March 3 attack was made public Monday.
Metzgar to hold session on ag laws
State Rep. Carl Metzgar, R-Berlin, will host a meeting with agriculture constituents in his district to provide updates on current legislation affecting them and to hear concerns.
The lunch meeting will be held at 11:30 a.m. Friday at the Berlin Community Building.
Kerry Golden, executive director for the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, will be the guest speaker.
For more information or to make a reservation, call Metzgar’s district office at 443-4230 or e-mail lsnyder@pahousegop.com.
ACRP receives $76G federal grant
The Alternative Community Resource Program in Johns-town will receive $76,000 from the federal government, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey has announced.
The grant is through the Department of Homeland Security.
The Western Pennsylvania Firefighters Memorial Honor Guard in North Braddock, Allegheny County, received $97,000, Casey said.
