911 call, texts among key evidence presented in Beta Theta Pi prelims

The call for help for Timothy Piazza came after texts between Beta Theta Pi fraternity members and Google searches about binge drinking and head injuries.

The preliminary hearings centered around the fraternity members charged in death of the 19-year-old pledge resumed Monday with continuing evidence about the party at the Burrowes Road house that preceded his death.

Braxton Becker, Michael Bonatucci, Daniel Casey, Gary Dibileo, Joseph Ems Jr., Ryan Foster, Edward Gilmartin III, Craig Heimer, Lars Kenyon, Nicholas Kubera, Ryan McCann, Jonah Neuman, Lucas Rockwell, Joseph Sala, Michael Schiavone, Luke Visser, Parker Yochim, Brendan Young and the Alpha Upsilon Chapter of Beta Theta face charges ranging from involuntary manslaughter to tampering with evidence following a lengthy investigation into Piazza’s death and recommendations by the Centre County grand jury.

State College police Detective David Scicchitano took the stand again as Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller resumed the case against the fraternity, presenting numerous text messages between members of the fraternity.

Texts between the brothers — including Young, Casey, Gilmartin, Dibileo, Schiavone, Heimer and Yochim — allegedly laid out plans to purchase large quantities of beer, vodka and wine to provide to pledges during fraternity events. Texts also reportedly showed the attempts to hide evidence as pledges were instructed to clean up alcohol the morning after Piazza’s fall and delete group messages from his phone.

Phone evidence also showed fraternity members had searched for subjects like “falling asleep after a head injury,” “cold extremities in a drunk person” and “binge drinking, bruises” the morning after Piazza was discovered. News articles regarding Piazza’s death were also accessed later that weekend.

Receipt evidence showing hundreds of dollars worth of alcohol purchases were provided as well, reportedly showing dozens of bottles of vodka, boxes of wine and cases of beer that were purchased by different members at area liquor stores.

Attorneys for Dibileo and Visser — Michael Engle and Theodore Smith, respectively — objected to the inclusion of “cherry-picked” evidence against their clients, stating as a rule of law, the court should be allowed to see the full transcript of text messages and the complete video during the hearing. Their objections were overruled by presiding District Judge Allen Sinclair.

Prior to afternoon recess, the court heard the one-minute, 10-second long 911 call made by McCann the morning Piazza was taken to the hospital. McCann briefly mentions that a 19-year-old friend is unconscious at the house and that alcohol was involved.

The call was made about 12 hours after Piazza first fell down the basement stairs, police said. He died at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center of his injuries —including brain damage and internal bleeding — a day later.

Scicchitano pointed out that McCann at no point indicated that Piazza had fallen, how long he had been unconscious or mentioned his overall condition.

This story was originally published July 10, 2017 at 2:02 PM with the headline "911 call, texts among key evidence presented in Beta Theta Pi prelims."