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Sunbury, Pa. • One of two newlyweds accused of luring a stranger through a Craigslist ad, stabbing him to death and dumping his body in an alley pleaded not guilty Friday.
Miranda Barbour, 18, of Selinsgrove entered the plea Friday at a hearing in the central Pennsylvania city of Sunbury. That hearing was scheduled to be followed later in the day by a hearing for her 22-year-old husband, Elytte.
Both are being held without bail on criminal homicide charges in the Nov. 11 death of 42-year-old Troy LaFerrara of Port Trevorton.
Police allege that Elytte Barbour told investigators that they committed the crime because they wanted to kill someone together.
Coroner James Kelley testified in Miranda Barbour's hearing that the victim died of multiple sharp force injuries and that strangulation may have contributed to death.
The couple, who were married in North Carolina and moved to Pennsylvania during the three weeks leading up to the crime, told police that Miranda Barbour stabbed LaFerrara in the front seat of her car while her husband held a cord around his neck, authorities said.
Authorities said Miranda Barbour told investigators that she met the victim after he responded to her Craigslist ad offering companionship for money and that they traveled in her vehicle from Selinsgrove to Sunbury, a small city about 100 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
Elytte Barbour told police he was hiding under a blanket in the back seat when his wife picked up LaFerrara and drove to Sunbury, where they parked, authorities said. At a prearranged signal, the husband said he came out of hiding and pulled a cable cord around LaFerrara's neck while his wife stabbed him, authorities said.
Miranda Barbour told investigators that LaFerrara was gasping for air as she drove around looking for a spot to dump the body, authorities said.