A ballistics expert on Thursday testified he was unable to match bullet fragments found near the victim of a road rage killing nearly three years ago in Rostraver to the gun prosecutors contend was used by the suspected shooter.
State police Cpl. Creighton Callas told jurors two mutilated bullet fragments were found in the victim’s clothing and inside the vehicle along with the body of 59-year-old Holly Vadella of Rostraver.
Authorities contend Anthony Hairston, 29, of Belle Vernon, fired two shots from a Glock pistol into Vadella’s vehicle in the early morning hours of Jan. 1, 2022, as they traveled along state Route 201.
“The bullets were not marked well and the gun did not produce enough marks,” Callas testified during the third day of Hairston’s first-degree homicide trial. “I cannot match or eliminate (them to) the gun that was used to fire those rounds.”
Prosecutors contend Vadella was shot twice and killed by Hairston as she drove home after visiting with her mother. Witnesses testified Hairston became annoyed as he fell in behind Vadella’s slow-moving vehicle and grew more upset as it drifted into his lane of travel during an attempt to pass.
Callas testified the bullets that struck Vadella could have been fired by any of about a dozen brands of pistol, including the weapon police seized the next day from Hairston’s girlfriend.
Shaquala L. Poole, 32, of Uniontown, who police said was Hairston’s longtime romantic partner, previously testified Hairston drove her and two other women to celebrate New Year’s at Sweeney’s Cafe in Rostraver. During that trip, Hairston lowered her passenger’s side window and fired twice into Vadella’s vehicle, Poole testified.
Jurors saw a compilation of security videos culled from local businesses and homes along Route 201 that appeared to show both Vadella’s red SUV followed by Poole’s white Chevy Traverse, which police said was driven by Hairston.
Rostraver police Sgt. Daniel Cope said the videos contained about five minutes of footage and what he testified was the sound of two gun shots.
Westmoreland County Det. Ray Dupilka told jurors Poole was confronted with the allegations the day after the shooting outside a home in Belle Vernon and initially claimed she heard but did not see Hairston fire the weapon. She later told investigators he was the shooter.
“Initially she said she didn’t see a gun and she asked if someone was hurt but I told her no, someone had been killed. Her (Poole’s) demeanor changed and she said she was going to be sick,” Dupilka testified. “We spent of a lot of time trying to calm her down.”
The suspected murder weapon, along with cocaine and drug paraphernalia, were found in a bag police said Poole had prior to her being questioned. Additional drugs were found inside the residence.
Poole was charged a week later with conspiracy, tampering with evidence and drug possession. The case against her is pending.
DNA from both Poole and Hairston were found on the suspected murder weapon, according to state police scientist Patrice Ferlan, the prosecution’s final witness in the case.
Hairston’s lawyer Brian Aston, during questioning of Callas and Ferlan, hinted at a possible defense that suggested Poole as the shooter.
Hairston’s trial is expected to end Friday. Hairston told the judge he will not testify and Aston rested the defense case without calling any witnesses.
Closing arguments are scheduled to begin when the trial reconvenes Friday.