Qwante Rose found guilty in murder of Johnstown high schooler Jaydin Sanderson

VERDICT

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WJAC) — A Cambria County jury Tuesday found Qwante Rose guilty in the 2022 slaying of Jaydin Sanderson (pictured below).

Qwante Rose was found guilty of first degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault and reckless endangerment.

DAY 4

The prosecution and defense each rested its case on Monday, in the case accusing Qwante Rose of killing Jaydin Sanderson.

Two final witnesses were called by prosecutors on Monday. The witnesses both claim that on separate occasions they heard Rose talk about the incident.

One witness claimed that just a few days after Sanderson was found on New Year's Day of 2022 Rose directly told him about his alleged involvement in the shooting. The other witness claimed they were a cellmate of Rose, and they overheard Rose talking to another person in the jail cell about the shooting.

The defense argues that those witnesses were unreliable. They also said that throughout the trial prosecutors have not been able to prove Rose is the one that pulled the trigger.

Rose did not testify in the case.

Final arguments are set to begin Tuesday morning followed by deliberation from the jury.

DAY 2

Emotions boiled over during day two of a trial in a homicide case out of Cambria County.

Thursday morning two of the first police officers on scene talked about what they saw when they arrived.

Qwante Rose is accused of killing 19-year-old Jaydin Sanderson and family and friends of Sanderson in attendance began crying as pictures were shown of the scene.

The emotion led to an emotional outburst from Sanderson’s father and he pointed at and directed his frustration toward Rose leading the judge to banning him from the courtroom for the remainder of the trial.

Witnesses say it was New Year’s Day of 2022 when a call of an unconscious person in a car along Wood Street in the Hornerstown section of Johnstown came in.

An officer testified Thursday that he was first at the scene, along with an EMT, and he saw blood and, who was later identified as Sanderson, slumped over the center console in her car.

Investigators say there was a gaping hole in the back of her head and the left side of her body was "saturated in blood."

Authorities say it seems like there was a struggle and one of Sanderson’s shoes was found underneath the car on the driver side.

The defense argues that there is no concrete evidence saying the gun was not accidentally fired and that investigators do not know exactly what time Sanderson was murdered.

They also allege that multiple people confessed in this case.

Police say their investigation led them to Rose, especially after an unrelated incident in March 2022 led them to searching a car Rose uses and finding matching shell casings to one found in the back seat of Sanderson’s car a few months prior.

DAY 1

The trial for a Johnstown man accused of shooting and killing a local high schooler on New Year's Day in 2022 began Wednesday.

Qwante Rose faces a variety of charges, highlighted by criminal homicide and aggravated assault, in the death of 19-year-old Jaydin Sanderson.

Police say Sanderson's body was found in a car along Wood Street, in the Hornerstown section of Johnstown.

Investigators say Rose and Sanderson were reportedly in a relationship and had attended a New Year's Eve party just hours before the crime.

Authorities say a witness told police that Rose confessed to shooting Sanderson in the back of the head.

During the trial's opening statements, prosecutors told the jury that this is "not a who done it case.," adding that they believe that Sanderson attempted to exit the vehicle prior to being shot.

Prosecutors claimed that police found hair and DNA evidence connecting Rose to the shooting.

Rose's defense argued that "it is absurd to assume that the DNA of the defendant came only from the scenario described by prosecutors."

Wednesday's testimony focused on the victim's clothing at the time of the shooting and the alleged DNA evidence that was reportedly found on it.

One witness claimed that he also found a bullet fragment on the passenger floor of the vehicle.

A forensic expert from the PSP crime lab then testified that the "touch DNA" found on the victim's pants was a reported match to Rose.

The expert also claimed that fingernail clippings, belonging to Rose, were reportedly found at the scene.

Testimony is scheduled to resume Thursday morning.

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