Sep 16, 2014 2 min read

A Washington County Court jury Tuesday found a Washington woman guilty of harboring one of the three men convicted in the 2012 murder of Washington & Jefferson College student Tim McNerney.

After a two-day trial, a jury comprised of eight women and four men found Gabriella Barron, 20, of 31 Buttonwood Ave., Washington, guilty of hindering apprehension or prosecution by harboring Eric Wells.

Wells, 25, of Pittsburgh, who was accused of fatally striking McNerney during a robbery, was sentenced Aug. 25 to 13 to 31 years in prison after pleading guilty to robbery along with his codefendants, Adam Hankins, 24, of Washington, and Troy LaMonte Simmons Jr., 23, of East Pittsburgh. The three were also found guilty of third-degree murder during a stipulated nonjury trial before visiting Judge Edward Borkowski. Hankins was sentenced to nine to 25 years in prison for his role, and Simmons was sentenced to seven to 20 years in prison for his role.

Wells was wanted on a warrant after McNerney, 21, a W&J football player from Butler, was killed during the Oct. 4, 2012, robbery. McNerney and his teammate, Zach DeCicco of Jefferson Hills, were assaulted by the trio as they were walking back to campus from a local tavern. McNerney died from an injury to the back of his head suffered when he was knocked to the ground near South College and East Maiden streets.

Barron was charged in August 2013 after she lied to police about Wells being at her home. Police caught Wells after they saw him going out the rear door.

Barron’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender Rose A. Semple, declined to comment on how Barron and Wells were connected. Semple said Barron faces one to two years in jail.

Barron remains free on bond until her sentencing hearing. Washington County Judge John F. DiSalle ordered a presentence investigation to be completed to assist in the sentence. A sentencing date has not yet been set.