Victim, 91, Faces Alleged Attacker In Court
ROSTRAVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) - Even with her fractured vertebrae still healing, a 91-year-old woman faced one of her accused attackers in a Westmoreland County court Monday.
Police say Franny Tekavec was thrown to the floor, tied up, assaulted, and her dog threatened when three men invaded her home on October 21st.
They left with just under a thousand dollars in cash and an estimated $20,000 in jewelry.
Four men have been charged with the attack and one of them, Greg Howard, is passing on using an attorney and instead representing himself.
As he emerged from court today in handcuffs and on his way back to jail, Howard was confident he had put in question Tekavec's identification of him as a suspect.
"Everything went alright I'm satisfied, the victim did not identify me," Howard said.
But Tekavec was unequivocal, "He's the guy who was there that night and he deserves what he gets for what they did to me."
It was fellow defendant Brandon Danilchak who provided the surprise of the day when he turned on his co-defendants and took the stand for the prosecution.
Danilchak told the magistrate that Darrell Adams owed the elderly Tekavec $500 and came up with the idea to rob her and then repay her with her own money.
Danilchak says he, Adams, Howard, and Lamont Dixon met at Howard's home and came up with the plan.
Danilchak, Howard, and Dixon then carried out the home invasion.
They are charged with a litany of charges including robbery and assault and have been held over for trial in Common Pleas Court early next year.
Adams also faces a host of charges and was arraigned Monday, he'll be back in court next week.
Tekavec says it wasn't easy to face her accusers in court today and speaking with a neck brace helping to stabilize her fractured neck she concedes she's still hurting from the October attack.
"Oh my gosh my back is killing me, my back is killing me."
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