Dec 17, 2019 3 min read

MONONGAHELA – A 16-year-old Washington youth has been charged as an adult with attempted homicide and related crimes over accusations he attacked a Monongahela man with a baseball bat during a robbery earlier this month.

The Washington County district attorney’s office was attempting to certify the suspect’s alleged accomplice, a 14-year-old Monongahela teen, as an adult in the Dec. 7 case, Monongahela police said Monday.

District Judge Mark Wilson on Saturday signed a warrant for the arrest of Christopher Matthew Urista, 16, of Washington, on a string of charges in the case. The other teen was in a juvenile detention center facing the same charges that were filed against Urista, police said.

Police said Stephen Whatley, 19, and his girlfriend were sleeping about 1:38 p.m. when two people came into his residence through an unlocked door wearing black masks with blue X’s across their eyes.

Whatley got up and punched one of the intruders in the face, knocking off his mask and revealing his identity as the 14-year-old, police stated in charging documents.

Urista responded by striking Whatley several times in the back with the aluminum bat, causing the victim to fall to the floor, court records indicate. Whatley was then struck repeatedly in the head with the bat, according to court documents.

The two are facing charges they conspired to assault and rob Whatley of his safe, marijuana and money at his 1216 Thomas St. residence, court records show.

Meanwhile, Whatley’s girlfriend went to the kitchen to get knife and was struck in the right forearm with the bat when she returned to defend Whatley, police said.

The intruders then fled from the residence, taking with them more than $100 and a bag of marijuana.

Police said a 15-year-old girl also was charged in a juvenile petition with conspiracy and aiding and abetting because she allegedly was aware of Urista’s plans to rob Whatley.

Whatley was taken to UPMC-Presbyterian hospital, Pittsburgh, where he was treated for a broken nose and many cuts to his head. He since has been released from the hospital, police said.

Police seized evidence, including marijuana, from a residence in the 500 block of Finley Street, the home of the 14-year-old.

Investigators have spoken with Urista’s family in attempts to arrest him in the case. He also was wanted on a probation detainer, police said.

Urista and the other teen also were facing charges of conspiracy to engage in homicide, aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, robbery, conspiracy to robbery, burglary, conspiring in a burglary, making terroristic threats, possessing a prohibitive weapon, possession of an instrument of a crime, obstruction and reckless endangerment.