Officer Justin Hovancik's patrol car was still going through a car wash when his fellow Butler Township officers sped off to pursue a silver Hyundai Tiburon. The driver was wanted in connection with the disappearance of Melissa Barto, a 26-year-old Butler native who would be found dead two days later by a farmer in a field in Lawrence County.

Testifying in court on Wednesday, Hovancik recalled the moments leading up to the arrest of Ishemer Ramsey, 22, of Lyndora on June 10, 2017. Ramsey was driving to Jodi McCullough's house in Connoquenessing Township, whose family was caring for Ramsey's dog while he was in military boot camp.

Police believe that Ramsey had killed Barto, who was his girlfriend at the time, two days before his arrest. For that, he is facing a homicide charge and is also accused of burning and hiding her body with the help of a friend.

Hovancik waited for about two minutes until the washing process was complete on his patrol car and then drove to join Patrolmen Max Wittlinger and Tyler Collins, who had followed Ramsey to the McCullough home on Eagle Mill Road. There, they approached Ramsey and told him about the reported disappearance. According to testimony from all three officers, Ramsey had a gun on him, which he relinquished to the McCulloughs, who then gave it to the police.

Officers took Ramsey away to be questioned and Hovancik entered the Tiburon from the passenger side, since the driver's side door didn't open from the outside. Hovancik noticed that the passenger seat and carpet had been removed. He also saw a bottle of bleach near a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken containing food that was half eaten. The car was loaded with equipment, along with other things, too.

Ramsey's court-appointed attorney, Christopher Capozzi, questioned the information that police collected to form the search warrants for Ramsey's home in Lyndora. Specifically, he argued that investigators' use of James E. Howard-George's statements in the search warrants against Ramsey are flawed since Howard-George has a criminal history. Howard-George, too, faces charges in the murder, including abuse of a corpse and criminal homicide conspiracy.

“This is a unique argument. I've never heard it before,” said Judge Timothy McCune, who presided over Wednesday's hearing.

Attending the hearing were members of Barto's family, including her cousin Emily Smith.

Many of the family members wore green shirts that said “Get Nebby.” Capozzi objected to the garb and requested that if the case goes to a jury trial, there be some kind of clothing code required that would prevent the family from wearing the shirts.

During one of the court recesses that marked the daylong proceeding, Smith explained that the shirts were “a show of support and for getting justice.”

She continued, “we want to make sure this doesn't happen to other females.” Smith explained that the phrase “nebby” means to be nosy, pro-active and, in this context, to always keep in touch with your loved ones and to make sure they're safe. While she spoke, Ramsey's father, Lee, addressed Barto's family, expressing his sadness for their loss.

According to police testimony in court, Barto was shot in the head three times by Ramsey on June 8, 2017. He is accused of soliciting the help of two other men — Howard-George, 24, of Butler and Joshua W. Bowser, 22, of Lyndora — in disposing of her body.

In addition to homicide, Ramsey is charged with conspiracy to commit homicide, hindering apprehension, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and conspiracy to commit the latter two crimes.

In the wake of her daughter's killing, Barto's mother, Lisa, has spoken out about domestic abuse, the need for victims to come forward with reports of abuse or controlling behavior.

McCune said he would attempt to pick a jury in Butler County and if one could not be found, he would reconsider the defense's motion to have Ramsey's trial moved.