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DUNMORE — A woman charged yesterday with aggravated assault and conspiracy in connection with the death of a 21-year-old Luzerne man was taken into custody shortly after midnight Tuesday.

Amanda Wayda, 20, was charged yesterday in connection with the death of Joshua Rose, who who was allegedly strangled with jumper cables and suffocated with a plastic bag before being dumped in a wooded area of Susquehanna County.

Preston Layfield, 19, and Tyler Mirabelli, 22, were arraigned Monday also on charges of aggravated assault and conspiracy in the case, and are now lodged at Lackawanna County Prison for lack of $700,000 bail.

State police say troopers found the body of Rose Monday morning after a local police department led investigators to the Hop Bottom area off Glenwood Road.

Lackawanna County Deputy District Attorney Mariclare Hayes, alluding to possible homicide charges, said she anticipated amending the charges as early as Tuesday, pending the results of an autopsy.

According to a police affidavit, the investigation began Sunday when Wayda contacted the Jermyn Police Department, telling officers she had witnessed a “murder” on Interstate 81 Thursday.

Wayda told police she was at her boyfriend’s home in Scranton when Rose and Layfield came to the house, the complaint says. According to the affidavit, Wayda told investigators at some point, Rose went to take a nap. When Wayda went to check on him, she allegedly told police, she found he had possibly overdosed on an unspecified drug.

Wayda said Mirabelli then came to the house to pick them up and take them to the hospital, the court papers state.

But according to the affidavit, Wayda told police instead of going to the hospital, Mirabelli drove onto Interstate 81 while Layfield grabbed a pair of jumper cables and used them to fatally strangle Rose.

According to the affidavit, while Layfield was strangling Rose, Mirabelli told him to “pull harder.”

Wayda said shortly after Rose had been strangled, a hat and sunglasses were placed on his head, and Mirabelli stopped for gas, the court papers state, noting surveillance video confirmed the car had stopped for gasoline at a station, consistent with Wayda’s timeline.

Layfield, according to the affidavit, told investigators a slightly different story.

Layfield allegedly told police Wayda had first placed a plastic bag over Rose’s head before jumping into the back seat with Layfield and Rose. Layfield told police it was Wayda who handed him the jumper cables, telling him “he needed to do this,” the complaint says.

At a media briefing at the state police barracks in Dunmore, Cpl. Mark Prushinski said the suspects passed at least one hospital with Rose in the car.

Under Pennsylvania’s Good Samaritan law, which went into effect in 2014, law enforcement cannot prosecute those seeking help for a person who has overdosed.

Standing before District Judge John P. Pesota, when asked if he had a drug and alcohol problem, Mirabelli said he did and it was untreated.

Layfield, however, denied having a problem with drugs and alcohol when Pesota asked.

Hayes requested a high bail, citing her office’s intent to file subsequent charges after the results of an autopsy scheduled for Tuesday.

“The current charges don’t reflect the magnitude of what happened,” she said.

Straight bail for both suspects was set at $700,000.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. Sept. 7 for both suspects.

Preston Layfield is helped into a police cruiser. 8/29/2016 Aimee Dilger|Times Leader
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_TTL083016death3-8.jpg.optimal.jpgPreston Layfield is helped into a police cruiser. 8/29/2016 Aimee Dilger|Times LeaderAimee Dilger | Times Leader

Tyler Mirabelli is led out of the Pennsylvania State Police barracks in Dunmore.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_TTL083016death1-8.jpg.optimal.jpgTyler Mirabelli is led out of the Pennsylvania State Police barracks in Dunmore. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Preston Layfield is helped into a police cruiser Monday at the state police barracks in Dunmore.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_TTL083016death2-8.jpg.optimal.jpgPreston Layfield is helped into a police cruiser Monday at the state police barracks in Dunmore. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Mirabella is led barefoot from the state police barracks in Dunmore.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_cuffs-7.jpg.optimal.jpgMirabella is led barefoot from the state police barracks in Dunmore. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Wayda
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_WAYDA-11.jpg.optimal.jpgWayda Aimee Dilger | Times Leader
2 charged, 1 sought in connection with Luzerne man’s death

By Geri Gibbons

[email protected]

Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons.

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Video Caption: State Police in Dunmore are investigating a suspicious death of a Lucerne County man.
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