Prosecutors call two witnesses to detail alleged confession to New Year's Day slaying

Feb. 20—EBENSBURG, Pa. — Two witnesses who said they had reliable information about Qwante N. Rose allegedly confessing to the killing of Jaydin Sanderson testified Monday in the fourth day of Rose's homicide trial in Cambria County court.

The prosecution asked that the witnesses' names not be published.

Witness No. 1, called by Cambria County Assistant District Attorneys Joseph Green and Joel Polites, told jurors that Rose had told him firsthand that he killed Sanderson, 19, on New Year's Day in 2022.

"Tell me how that conversation took place," Green said.

Witness No. 1 alleged that they asked Rose for a ride. Upon arriving home, they asked if Rose knew anything about Sanderson's death, days after it happened, they testified.

Rose allegedly laughed and responded, "It was me."

Rose is accused of shooting Sanderson after the pair attended a New Year's Eve party together. They were in an on-and-off relationship, prosecutors have said.

He allegedly shot Sanderson, who was in the driver's seat of her car, from behind while they were parked on Wood Street in the Hornerstown section of Johnstown.

Rose has been charged with criminal homicide and related counts.

Pennsylvania State Police crime lab ballistics allegedly confirmed that a bullet casing found in Sanderson's vehicle matched a 9mm pistol that police reportedly located in Rose's possession that had the original barrel swapped.

Witness No. 1 told jurors that Rose said he had Sanderson drive to Wood Street because he had business there — but upon arriving, he placed a gun on the back of the driver's seat and fired from between the seat and the headrest, reportedly inches from her head.

Rose then moved her leg to stop the vehicle lights from flashing, according to the testimony, took her keys and phone, and left the scene. A DNA expert testified on the first day of trial that there was moderate support for Rose's DNA signature appearing on the lower left leg of Sanderson's pants.

Green asked if authorities offered to assist with the witness' prior charges in exchange for the preliminary hearing testimony. They said that authorities did.

Since that examination, the person is facing additional, more serious counts, with which they are unsure authorities can assist.

Ralph Karsh, Rose's attorney, questioned the witness' motives, asked why they never went to police with Rose's alleged confession, and accused them of changing their testimony to fit the prosecutors' narrative — at the preliminary hearing, Witness No. 1 never mentioned Rose allegedly moving Sanderson's leg.

Karsh also inquired if the witness was only cooperating to curry favor with the district attorney's office, which the witness said they were. For the preliminary hearing testimony, Witness No. 1 reportedly received a reduced sentence from an earlier incident.

Karsh alleged other inconsistencies in the witness' statements as well, noting that the pathologist who performed Sanderson's autopsy said on Friday that the shot that killed her likely came from around two feet away.

During re-direct examination, Green asked about the witness' reduced sentence — 15 to 30 months dropped to 11 to 23 months — and whether they got a job while on house arrest, which they said they did. However, Witness No. 1 said they stopped going to work because Rose's acquaintances allegedly threatened him.

Witness No. 2 of the day claimed that, while incarcerated in the same facility as Rose in 2022, they overheard the defendant admit to a third person that he shot someone on Wood Street in Hornerstown.

Karsh questioned that person's motives due to their history of criminal convictions.

The witness claimed to have no prior knowledge of the incident before allegedly overhearing Rose admit guilt and said they were only testifying because they thought it was the right move.

The prosecution rested its case Monday. and Karsh then moved for dismissal of all charges, deeming the witnesses from that day not credible.

Cambria County Senior Judge Norman A. Krumenacker III, who is overseeing the case, denied those motions.

A legal issue regarding a witness who the defense planned to call was taken under advisement of Krumenacker for some time Monday, but ultimately the prosecutor's objection made it a moot point, and so the defense also rested.

Rose told Krumenacker that he would not take the stand in his own defense.

Jurors were dismissed for the day and will return Tuesday to hear closing arguments before beginning deliberation.