LOCK HAVEN, PA – Clinton County District Attorney Dave Strouse reported that Britney Hostrander, a 28-year-old from Williamsport, was sentenced on Tuesday to an 84-month term of supervision. The sentencing included nine months in the Clinton County Correctional Facility and six months under house arrest. Clinton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Michael F. Salisbury sentenced Hostrander for one count of Access Device Fraud, two counts of Identity Theft , and two counts of Financial Exploitation of an Older Adult.
The charges were brought against Hostrander after a 76-year-old woman from McElhatten and her 80-year-old husband noticed unusual purchases on their credit cards. Pine Creek Sgt. Denny Gill traced the fraud back to Hostrander, who had used the couple’s credit cards for personal expenses, including vehicle costs and paying off fines in a separate Mifflin County criminal case.
Despite Hostrander’s apology and full restitution before sentencing, along with her request for probation, Judge Salisbury decided on a custodial sentence followed by an extensive supervisory period. Additionally, Hostrander is now barred from any employment involving services to older individuals. It was revealed during the pre-sentence investigation that Hostrander secured employment with another home care company amidst her pending criminal charges.
- North Philly killer convicted after using victim’s phone to promote his rap persona
PHILADELPHIA, PA – A Philadelphia man has been convicted of first-degree murder for the 2021 stabbing death of a 25-year-old woman in North Philadelphia after investigators discovered he used her phone to promote his rap persona in the days following her killing.
Quader Moore, 22, was found guilty Friday of first-degree murder and possession of an instrument of crime in the death of Tianna Wells, who was found fatally stabbed in her rooming house apartment on the 2600 block of North 17th Street.
Authorities said Wells’ cousins discovered her body on June 16, 2021, after growing concerned that she had not answered calls or messages for several days.
Key Points
- Defendant convicted of first-degree murder in 2021 domestic stabbing case.
- Victim’s phone was used after her death to promote defendant’s rap alias “yngp qua.”
- Judge Diana Anhalt will sentence the defendant on December 22.
Investigation traced digital trail from victim’s phone
Police said the cousins initially called officers to file a missing person report, but returned moments later after forcing open Wells’ locked door and finding her body near the bed with a fatal knife wound to her neck. Detectives later determined that her cell phone had been taken.
Homicide investigators obtained surveillance footage showing Wells returning home on the night of June 13, 2021, with Moore. That was the last time she was seen alive.
Detectives tracked the victim’s phone and found that it had been used days later to modify her Instagram account, converting it into a promotional page for Moore’s rap alter ego “yngp qua.”
IP evidence tied suspect to victim’s device
According to trial testimony, both Moore’s personal Instagram account and the modified account used the same IP address in August 2021, indicating both were accessed from Wells’ missing phone. This digital link helped prosecutors secure Moore’s conviction.
Assistant District Attorney Josh Myers of the DAO’s Homicide & Non-Fatal Shootings Unit led the prosecution. District Attorney Larry Krasner credited Myers’ use of digital forensics and call detail record analysis for connecting Moore to the crime.
Family and prosecutors speak after verdict
“It is through the exceptional prosecution of ADA Josh Myers that this defendant will be held accountable for his heinous actions,” Krasner said following the verdict.
Myers added, “It meant a lot to help secure some justice for Tianna Wells, her family, and the city of Philadelphia. The thorough work and partnership with Philadelphia Police and their Homicide Unit ensured a successful trial.”
Wells’ mother shared a statement thanking prosecutors and police for their dedication: “This letter is a gesture of my appreciation and my family’s gratitude for the exemplary manner in which they investigated, captured, and ultimately helped my family obtain justice for the grievous murder of my daughter.”
Judge Diana Anhalt is scheduled to sentence Moore on December 22 in Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.
- Jackson Township landlord sentenced for deadly beating of tenant
Jackson Township, PA – A Pennsylvania landlord has been sentenced for the murder of his tenant, who died from injuries sustained during an altercation. Zachary Neiman, 37, pleaded no contest to third-degree murder in the death of 42-year-old Michael Byers.
Neiman received a prison term of 8 to 16 years on October 27. A charge of involuntary manslaughter was dropped as part of a plea deal.
Byers resided in a detached apartment on Neiman’s property prior to his death. On April 29, neighbors reported hearing a verbal confrontation between the two men near a firepit on Neiman’s property.
Following the argument, Neiman told neighbors he had assaulted Byers. Witnesses claimed they heard Neiman continue to attack Byers around 10 p.m.
The next morning, Neiman called 911 after finding Byers deceased outside his home, partially covered in mud. First responders arrived and found Neiman administering chest compressions, but Byers was already cold to the touch.
Neiman informed police he could not recall events from the previous night due to alcohol consumption and stated he went to bed around 11:30 p.m.
An autopsy revealed Byers’ cause of death as blunt-force injuries complicated by ethanol intoxication. Charges against Neiman were filed in November 2023, leading to the current sentencing.
- Accused gunman waives hearing after deadly Pennsylvania dispute
West Hempfield man waives hearing in double‑fatal shooting case
West Hempfield Township, PA – A man accused of fatally shooting his estranged wife and sister-in-law and seriously wounding his son during an argument inside his home has waived his preliminary hearing, allowing the case to move to county court.
Police say the shooting occurred on the evening of Oct. 5 at a residence in the 2100 block of Oak Hollow Drive, where 64‑year‑old Santiago Payano‑Sanchez allegedly opened fire during a dispute that had unfolded over the course of the weekend. According to investigators, he retrieved a handgun from his waistband around 5 p.m. and shot his 33‑year‑old son in the stomach before shooting two other family members.
The victims were identified as 59‑year‑old Ana Gutierrez‑Cedano and 74‑year‑old Dominga Cedano‑Cedano. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Payano‑Sanchez’s son survived after emergency surgery and remains in stable condition at a local hospital.
Two children, ages 2 and 7, were also inside the home but were unharmed.
Police said Payano‑Sanchez called family members after the shooting to apologize. Responding officers initially requested a Special Emergency Response Team due to reports of a barricaded gunman, though Payano‑Sanchez surrendered before the team deployed.
Investigators reported that the firearm used in the shootings was legally owned and that Payano‑Sanchez possessed a concealed carry permit.
He waived his preliminary hearing Monday before Judge Miles Bixler. Payano‑Sanchez is charged with two counts of criminal homicide, attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, and possession of an instrument of crime. He remains held without bail in Lancaster County Prison.
Det. Sgt. Robert Bradfield filed the charges. Assistant District Attorney Jessica Collo is assigned to prosecute the case. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Key Points
- Santiago Payano‑Sanchez waived his hearing in a case involving two deaths and one injury
- His estranged wife and sister‑in‑law were killed and his son was seriously wounded
- The legally owned firearm was recovered and Payano‑Sanchez remains jailed without bail