Fayette prosecutor to seek death penalty for alleged contract killing

Fayette County prosecutors will seek the death penalty against a Uniontown man accused of paying a teenager to kill someone.

Based on the charges against Calvin Huffman, 37, of Uniontown, District Attorney Mike Aubele cited three reasons for seeking a death sentence: Huffman paid another person to kill someone; has a history of violence; and the alleged victim’s death furthered Huffman’s drug trafficking.

Huffman is accused of paying Antonyo Owens, then 14, $5,000 in cash and three large bags of marijuana to shoot Anthony Jones, 38, of Uniontown, on June 6, 2023. Based on the initial investigation, law enforcement said they also believe Owens, who was charged as an adult with criminal homicide, was able to elude capture for five days with Huffman’s help.

Under Pennsylvania law, prosecutors are allowed to seek the death penalty in limited cases, and only if a defendant is convicted of first-degree murder. These cases are called “aggravating circumstances.” Prosecutors must file a notice of these alleged aggravating circumstances once the case is filed in trial court.

In Huffman’s case, Aubele noted that Huffman “has a significant history of convictions for crimes involving the use or threat of violence against a person.”

Huffman’s past convictions in Fayette County include a 2005 guilty plea to aggravated assault and a 2013 conviction for a shooting outside a Uniontown bar.

In July, Huffman pleaded guilty to 16 charges in Bedford County related to the kidnapping of a man and an attack at a convenience store, according to the Altoona Mirror.

Earlier this month, Huffman was charged with attempted escape after police said he planned an “elaborate” breakout from the Fayette County Jail.

Huffman’s formal hearing is scheduled for Oct. 17 before Judge Nancy D. Vernon.