WEST HAZLETON — Officials now say two police investigations at two separate homes in Luzerne County are connected.
Police had been at a home in Hazleton since Wednesday night and all day Thursday. Police were also at a home just six miles away in Drums.
Police arrested Eleazar Yisrael, 29, of Hazleton in connection to those police investigations. He is charged with possession of a weapon and possession of a controlled substance.
We do know that searches at both homes are centered around a man who lives at the home in Drums, who police say has been missing since Monday.
Police say Samuel Vacante, 52, lives in the house and was last seen on Monday night. Police say his car was also reported missing and they consider him to be endangered.
Now investigators say Butler Township police found Vacante’s car in Hazleton sometime Wednesday. That led police to search a home on West 10th Street in Hazleton Thursday.
The crime scene is just a block away from the Hazleton Elementary Middle School, known in the city as “the Castle.” Because of all the police activity, school was closed Thursday, only the second day of the school year.
The Hazleton Area superintendent says the decision to close the school was out of concern for the safety of the children, strictly as a precaution.
Many parents weren’t made aware and showed up to drop off their children.
“Find out the whole school is closed? Something happened,” said Carlos Rodriguez of Hazleton.
