10-Year-Old Beat 90-Year-Old Helen Novak to Death

Tristen Kurilla beat Helen to death after she yelled at him

On Saturday, October 11, 2014, 10-year-old Tristen Kurilla visited his grandfather, Anthony Virbitsky, at his home in Tyler Hill, PA. Tristen planned to spend the day with his grandfather while his mom worked.

Anthony cared for 90-year-old Helen Novak, who also lived in the home.

Just after 10 a.m. Tristen entered Helen’s room without permission to ask her a question. Helen scolded Tristen, who then walked into the room, grabbed a wooden cane, and held it against her neck for several minutes before punching her in the throat five times using his fists and striking her in the stomach. The assault caused swelling and hemorrhaging to her throat, ultimately causing her death.

At around 10:30 a.m. Tristen told his grandfather blood was coming out of Helen’s mouth. Virbitsky checked on her but did not see blood. She appeared scared, and her breathing was labored. He asked if she was okay, and she said yes. He then asked if she wanted to go to the hospital, but she said no. Tristen denied hurting Helen, although his grandfather told him to go into another room and stay away from her.

Virbitsky returned to check on Helen around 11 a.m. She was unresponsive. He talked to Tristen, who admitted to punching her and placing the cane around her neck. He called 911, reporting her dead. Novak was transported to the county morgue.

At 3:20 p.m., Martha Virbitsky walked into a police station stating her son, Tristen, had killed Helen Novak. She and Tristen spoke to State Trooper John Decker. Virtbisky told Decker that her son had been diagnosed with ADHD and ODD and had violent behavioral problems.

Tristen admitted that he ‘killed that lady,” and provided Decker with a detailed description of what had occurred earlier in the day. When asked if he was trying to kill Helen, Tristend responded, “No, I was only trying to hurt her.”

On Oct. 13, Helen Novak’s autopsy results determined her cause of death to be blunt force trauma, and the manner of death was homicide. The next day, police charged Tristen as an adult with murder.

The case was later transferred to juvenile court. Tristen was remanded to a juvenile facility until his 21st birthday.