x
Breaking News
More () »

Man Charged in Wilkes-Barre Homicide

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Police have arrested a man on homicide charges in Wilkes-Barre. According to police, Reynaldo Mercado killed Fred Boote at Boote’...

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- Police have arrested a man on homicide charges in Wilkes-Barre.

According to police, Reynaldo Mercado killed Fred Boote at Boote's home along Donald Court in the city last week.

Boote's body was found after police discovered his dog roaming several blocks away, tried to return the dog, and found Boote stabbed in the back in his bedroom.

WB STABBING VICTIM boote

Court papers say surveillance video shows a man police believe to be Mercado and a 14-year-old girl going into Boote's home on the night of his death.

Police say Mercado attempted to set a fire to destroy evidence at the home.

Police then moved the search to an apartment on Maffett Street where they found burning clothing and shoes inside a common area of the apartment building. The shoes found burning had a similar pattern to the footprints found at Boote's home.

Later that evening, police started looking for Mercado in relation to a missing teenage girl.

Mercado and the teenage girl were found in New Jersey the following day.

Mercado is charged with criminal homicide in Luzerne County.

Before You Leave, Check This Out