Witness intimidation charges related to Rostraver shooting will go to trial

Anthony M. Hairston wasn’t using Facebook to intimidate a witness against him in a Rostraver fatal shooting, his attorney argued Tuesday.

Hairston had asked his girlfriend post pictures of the witness’ statement to police on his Facebook page but he was only thinking about strategy as his homicide trial was approaching, attorney Brian Aston argued.

“He says I just want to be more strategic, I want people to understand what I’m up against here, is basically what he’s saying,” Aston said during Hairston’s preliminary hearing.

District Judge Mark Mansour disagreed.

“I heard him say ‘I’m letting people know she volunteered’” a statement to police, Mansour said. At the end of a preliminary hearing Tuesday, he ruled that charges of intimidation, retaliation and conspiracy against Hairston, 29, of Belle Vernon, and Aimee Joy Miller, 28, of Avalon, can proceed to trial.

They were arrested in October by Westmoreland County detectives who accuse the pair of conspiring to make a post on Hairston’s Facebook page while he is in jail without bond awaiting sentencing in the New Year’s Day 2022 fatal shooting of 59-year-old Holly B. Vadella of Rostraver.

Hairston was convicted in November of third-degree murder, two weapons offenses, tampering with evidence and drug possession.

Westmoreland County Detective Rick Kranitz testified that Shaquala Poole, 32, of Uniontown, reported she was concerned for her family and about testifying at trial after seeing the post. Poole was a commonwealth witness during Hairston’s trial. She also is facing charges in connection with the fatal shooting.

Prosecutors played part of a 20-minute jailhouse video call from Aug. 17 between Hairston and Miller during which they discuss what the post should say. Hairston is heard directing Miller to include two pages of Poole’s statement to police.

“Or you can say ‘black and white don’t lie, trial coming up,’” Hairston said in the call.

Miller is heard asking Hairston more than once if he was sure he wanted her to go through with making the post, to which he confirmed. Krantiz admitted on the witness stand under cross-examination that there was no direct threat to Poole in the post, but said on redirect that the circumstances indicated it was meant to intimidate.

Kranitz testified that when he interviewed Miller about the post, she said she hated Poole.

Attorney Marc Daffner argued that Miller was essentially the messenger and she didn’t intend to intimidate Poole.

“She put up this post she was asked to put up,” Daffner said.

Miller is free on $25,000 unsecured bail. Hairston remains behind bars. He is scheduled for sentencing Jan. 29 in Vadella’s death.

Poole is scheduled for a status conference in her case Jan. 27. She was charged with hindering apprehension or prosecution, tampering with evidence and drug possession.