Published: April 24, 2009 11:54 pm      

Tests ordered for suspect in Blair murders

HOLLIDAYSBURG — The former Johnstown man charged in the shooting deaths of a Vinco insurance agent and another man recently was discharged from the Army because of a service-related disability, records show.

Nicholas Adam Horner, 28, most recently of Altoona, was retired from active duty Feb. 9, said Lt. Col George G. Wright, an Army spokesman.

Horner served eight years and five months in the Army. He served a tour in Kuwait and two tours in Iraq, including the initial invasion in 2003.

The unclassified information provided to The Tribune-Democrat offers no insight into why Horner was retired on disability, something Blair County courts and the district attorney’s office hope to learn through a court order seeking all military and medical records about Horner.

Blair County Judge Jolene Kopriva ordered Horner to undergo a mental evaluation to determine his state of mind on April 6, the day police said he went on a shooting spree near the Logan Valley Mall.

The evaluation will delay Horner’s preliminary hearing, which had been set for Tuesday.

Police say Horner killed Scott Garlick, 19, of Hollidaysburg, an employee at the Subway sandwich shop near 58th Street, then ran four blocks and shot Ray Williams, 64, a native of Northern Cambria and longtime Vinco insurance agent.

He also shot and wounded a woman at the restaurant, police say.

Wade Kagarise, Blair County chief deputy district attorney, said Friday that the prosecution did not oppose the evaluation, but urged the judge to move the process along as quickly as possible.

“The judge agreed with us, that it (time) was a real consideration,” he said. “We expect the preliminary hearing won’t occur for 30 days at minimum.”

As recently as last week, Horner said he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

He made the remark at a preliminary hearing in Portage on charges of drunken driving and related charges following a Feb. 2 arrest in Lilly – charges unrelated to the shooting incident.

Found in the car during his arrest by Cresson Township police was a .22 caliber pistol, an unknown amount of ammunition and some pills.

A large number of pills and guns also were found inside Horner’s Logan Township home, according to a search warrant executed April 7.

Found were eight different prescription drugs totaling more than 1,200 pills for anxiety, depression and other ailments, two handguns, two rifles and ammunition.

Police also confiscated medical records and a computer from the Horner home.

Police also were looking for, but apparently did not find, handwritten information that might reflect his emotional state and reference material related to killing.

U.S. Department of Defense records show Horner was recognized for his service in combat and was decorated with the Army’s Combat Action Badge, which is awarded to those actively engaged by the enemy. He performed satisfactorily in combat, Wright said.