In arrest papers, police detail why Hempfield man became a suspect in Greensburg man's death

The extensive use of cellphone towers to track the movements of a Hempfield man accused of bludgeoning to death an acquaintance and dumping his body in a remote area in Loyalhanna led to his arrest this week, state police said Friday.

Tracking the movements of the suspect, Joseph C. Zvara, 47, from locations in Greensburg to Loyalhanna by analyzing the specialized historical location data from cellphone towers on Oct. 21, was a “key component” that led to the suspect’s arrest for allegedly killing Robert Friend, 64, said Trooper Steve Limani.

The historical location data showed there was what Limani described as a 28-minute gap the night of Oct. 21 where the suspect’s phone and vehicle were in the area off Bush Road where Friend’s body was found on state game lands near the Mannitto Golf Course by two hunters around 10 a.m. Oct. 25.

Friend had suffered a large wound on his face and had injuries consistent with defensive wounds and two broken fingernails, according to a police affidavit. Limani said police have not yet determined what instrument might have been used to inflict the fatal blows. Friend’s cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma.

Police believe that Friend was killed in another location and his body dumped in a grassy area off Bush Road.

Police said Zvara had been in a relationship with a woman who lived less than 1 mile from where Friend’s body was found.

Helping lead to the arrest, Limani said, were multiple interviews with people who knew Zvara and talked with him Oct. 21; the surveillance video from the Sheetz store on Harvey Avenue in Greensburg and a Greensburg bar and pizza shop where he was with Friend; and a review of text messages from Zvara about Friend.

Zvara was charged Thursday with homicide and abuse of a corpse by state police from the Kiski Valley station in Washington Township.

Friend was described by investigators as a transient who typically found places to stay and drink across the Greensburg area. He was wearing only a T-shirt, socks and underwear when he was found, and police did not know his identity, Limani said. He was identified after being fingerprinted at the state police station, according to the criminal complaint. Police had yet to find his pants, Limani said.

Police said that video from the pizza shop shows Zvara with Friend around 6 p.m. They left for about 20 minutes and returned to the pizza shop, where they were drinking and started to argue, according to the affidavit. An employee told Friend to leave because of his inappropriate behavior and he appeared to be highly intoxicated. He left with Zvara, police said.

Police obtained an Oct. 21 video surveillance from the Sheetz that showed Friend approaching several customers and having brief conversations before taking a seat inside the store.

Shortly afterward, Zvara pulled up in a truck and parked directly facing where Friend was sitting and approached him. The video showed Zvara standing over Friend “in an intimidating way,” police said, before the two shook hands. The two left Sheetz and went to the pizza shop.

After leaving the pizza shop, police stated that Zvara exchanged a text message with the pizza shop employee at 7:45 p.m. Oct. 21, asking him not to return with Friend.

Zvara texted that Friend had “disrespected my son” in an earlier confrontation at a Sheetz store on Harvey Avenue. He later texted that “He will never come back after tonight (laughing/crying emoji),” according to the criminal complaint.

“Now I’m going to deal with him,” and “I’m about to take him out of here,” according to the criminal complaint.

Investigators said they were not certain what Friend might have done to be accused of disrespecting Zvara’s son.

Zvara told police that Friend left the pizza shop on foot, while he remained there and later went home.

Both statements directly contradicted the pizza shop employee and his phone’s GPS data, according to the criminal complaint. Police said Zvara allegedly implicated himself through text messages he later sent to his son, claiming he had messed up.

The investigation remains open and police are still seeking any witnesses who might have information about Zvara and Friend.

Zvara was arraigned before East Huntingdon District Judge Charles Moore and held in the Westmoreland County Prison, without bail being set. An attorney for Zvara was not listed in court records.

Zvara faces a Nov. 17 preliminary hearing before District Judge Jason Buczak in Washington Township.

Patrick Varine and Joe Napsha are TribLive staff writers. They can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com and jnapsha@triblive.com.