John Jefferson
Left: Alajah Elizabeth Holmes (York County District Attorney’s Office). Right: Amiya Paige (Etzweiler Funeral Home).
A Pennsylvania woman who rode up to a group of people in a rented U-Haul van and fired a shot from the passenger’s seat toward her half-sister after a fight on Facebook will spend the rest of her life in prison for the death of a teen caught in the crossfire.
Alajah Elizabeth Holmes, 21, learned her fate on Wednesday in the Dec. 30, 2022, killing of Amiya Paige, 18, the York County District Attorney’s Office announced in a press release. Holmes pleaded guilty to criminal homicide in August, never disputing that she fired the fatal shot that killed Paige, prosecutors said. York County Judge Musti Cook found Holmes guilty of first-degree murder following a degree of guilt hearing.
The series of events leading to the murder stemmed from an argument that Holmes got into with her sister, who was among the group of friends standing with Paige at the time Holmes opened fire, Holmes testified, according to the York Daily Record. She said that earlier that day, she and her sister exchanged messages on Facebook that escalated into an argument. The sisters apparently agreed to an in-person fistfight, but Holmes testified that she brought a gun after her half-sister said she was bringing one, the newspaper reported.
Holmes asked a friend who had a U-Haul van that day to drive her into York City to fight someone, the newspaper reported, citing the criminal complaint. Holmes eventually found her sister and her friends.
“I sent the picture of the street signs, and 30 seconds later, a U-Haul pulled out,” the half-sister testified. “Alajah said something to me like ‘I got something for you b—-,’ and she started shooting.”
Paige was fatally struck in the back, dying at a hospital. Holmes fled.
Police tracked down the U-Haul, whose driver told investigators he was shocked when she pulled out the gun and fired.
Holmes, who also reportedly testified at trial that she suffers from multiple mental health issues and had drunk heavily the day before the shooting, surrendered days later.
According to those who knew her, the young victim had a lot to look forward to.
“Amiya was 18 years old and had her whole life ahead of her, then tragedy took her life,” a GoFundMe page raising money for funeral expenses said. “Amiya was a high school graduate and was accepted into college to pursue her dream of becoming an ultra sound technician. She was loving, kind, smart, sweet and beautiful inside and out. She enjoyed doing nails and make-up on her spare time. She loved dancing and was always the life of the party. Her joyful free spirit will be greatly missed.”
Her obituary said that the victim enjoyed “new adventures such as: Six Flags, Florida, and the beach.”
“Amiya also loved being around her family and friends,” the tribute also said.
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