Body dumped in Hop Bottom

BY STACI WILSON

Police discovered the body of a dead man dumped in a wooded area off Greenwood Rd., in the Hop Bottom area on Monday morning, Aug. 29.

The remains of Joshua Rose, 21, of Luzerne, were located by police after Amanda Wayda reported on Sunday that she witnessed a murder on Interstate 81 on Wednesday, Aug. 25. Wayda has been charged with aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy.

Preston Layfield, 19, of Scranton, and Tyler Mirabelli, 22, of Clarks Summit have also been charged with aggravated assault and conspiracy, pending an autopsy that was scheduled for Tuesday.

Wayda told police she was at her boyfriend’s house in Scranton, when Rose and Layfield arrived. She said Rose went to take a nap and she later checked on him and believed that he was overdosing. She said she called Mirabelli to come and drive them to the hospital.

According to the affidavit Wayda said Mirabelli, instead of seeking medical help, drove her, along with Rose and Layfield north on I-81.

She told police that Layfield, who was sitting directly behind Rose, grabbed a pair of jumper cables and placed them around Rose’s neck, strangling him and ultimately killing him. Wayda told police she saw Rose still breathing prior to strangling.

She also told police that they had stopped the vehicle at a gas station in Lenoxville prior to dumping the body near railroad tracks.

Police spoke with Mirabelli on Sunday outside a supermarket in Green Ridge. He was wearing the same clothing captured on the gas station’s video surveillance and a small amount of what appeared to be blood was on his shorts and t-shirt. A search warrant was executed on the vehicle and police seized jumper cables, and a multi-colored bucket hat. Mirabelli’s clothing with the suspected blood stains was also seized.

In a statement to police Monday morning, Layfield admitted to being involved in his friend’s death. He told police a bag was placed over Rose’s head, and Mirabelli handed him the jumper cables and told him he needed to kill Rose. He also provided information about where Rose’s body was located.

Wayda was taken into custody by Troopers from the Frackville station shortly after midnight, Tuesday.

Troopers Jeffrey Sokso, E.J. McCarthy and Frank Orlando investigated.

 

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