WASHINGTON, Pa. — The first of three defendants accused of killing a Washington County grandmother in a drive-by shooting is going to trial this week.
30-year-old Brandon Allen‘s trial started on Wednesday. Two teens, Juan Worthy and Tyriq Moss are also facing murder charges.
Kristin Barfield was shot and killed while sitting on a Washington front porch on a sunny May day in 2022. Barfield’s loved ones filled half of the Washington County courtroom on Wednesday.
“Nothing is going to bring my mother back, but justice for us is for the individuals inside that car to go to prison,” said Courtney Ellis, Barfield’s daughter. “She was a loving mother, she was a grandmother, daughter and she was targeted. It wasn’t a mistaken identity, she was targeted. "
One of the co-defendants took the stand to testify against Allen today. Moss said he was 15 when the shooting happened.
Moss told jurors he and Worthy were headed to play basketball but the court was closed. They then walked to the Exxon gas station and bought drinks and snacks. On their way back to the basketball court Allen picked them up. He testified that 30 seconds later someone in the car said, “There he is. There is Trey.” Trey is the Barfield’s son.
Then he heard one gunshot from the front which he said came from Allen, and around three shots from Worthy. He said Worthy pushed him back and then began firing out of the back window.
Moss said Allen then said to Worthy, “I think you shot his mom.”
Defense Attorney William Difenderfer questioned whether Moss was the second shooter, not Worthy. He asked Moss if he lied to police in his first interview.
Moss said he did because he was scared.
Difenderfer questioned, “Are Juan and my client friends?” Moss said, “No.”
Difenderfer said, “Somehow, you’re saying he conspired with Juan?” Moss replied, “That’s not what I’m saying at all.”
The group inside the car then drove to a wooded area where they ditched the car. Moss testified that he, Worthy and another friend who has not been charged in this case walked about an hour until they got to a main road. He said Allen picked them up there and took them back to Washington. Difenderfer asked if Juan was proud in the woods? “Do you remember Juan kissed the gun?”
Moss said he did, “In the woods? Yes.”
Moss maintains that he didn’t own a gun and was not one of the shooters that day, and there had been no discussion about a drive-by shooting leading up to the deadly incident.
“It doesn’t matter who shot, who didn’t shoot, you know, you picked those boys up, they all played a role, you got in the car, you road past my mother’s house, you shot her in cold blood, in broad daylight in front of her children,” Ellis said.
“Justice for me is impossible because it will never bring my mother back, I’m just happy after this my family can move on. This has been a dark cloud over us,” said Michael Walls, Barfield’s son.
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