Vandergrift woman's first-degree murder trial delayed
A Vandergrift woman accused of killing her cousin will have her trial delayed at least four months.
Ashley Croft, 35, is awaiting trial in connection with the Oct. 18 shooting death of John Edward Smail of Greensburg. Croft is charged with first-degree murder. She is being held in jail without bond.
On Monday, an attorney representing Croft told Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rita Hathaway that Croft needs a mental health evaluation before work can be started to prepare the case for trial.
Police say Croft confessed to shooting Smail. According to court records, she said she was under the influence of drugs when she fired at least one shot that killed Smail.
Hathaway ordered Croft to appear in court in August for a status conference, when a date for trial could be scheduled.
Rich Cholodofsky is a TribLive reporter covering Westmoreland County government, politics and courts. He can be reached at rcholodofsky@triblive.com.
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