Belle vernon man found guilty in road rage killing in rostraver township

GREENSBURG, Pa. — A Westmoreland County jury has found a Belle Vernon man guilty of third-degree murder in the fatal road rage shooting of a Rostraver Township woman. After nearly a week of trial proceedings, Anthony Hairston, 29, was convicted Thursday in the killing of 59-year-old Holly Vadella on New Year’s Eve 2022.

The jury reached its verdict after deliberating for over two hours following three days of testimony. Prosecutors argued that Hairston became agitated while driving behind Vadella’s slower-moving vehicle as he was attempting to reach Sweeney’s Café in Rostraver before it closed. Witnesses testified that Hairston fired two shots at Vadella’s car as he passed, striking and ultimately killing her.

Assistant District Attorneys Leo Ciaramitaro and Anthony Iannamorelli prosecuted the case, presenting evidence that Hairston acted out of frustration in an unprovoked act of violence. Along with the murder charge, Hairston was also convicted of tampering with evidence, drug-related offenses, and possession of a firearm prohibited.

“From the beginning, this incident was an act of senseless and unprovoked violence,” said Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli in a statement. “I hope this verdict offers some peace to the family of Holly Vadella. I thank the jurors for their time and consideration in this case.”

Hairston is scheduled to be sentenced within the next three months, though an exact date has not yet been set.

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