WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- A man and a teen girl have been charged with murder in the death of a man in Wilkes-Barre earlier this year.
Fred Boote was found dead in a home on Donald Court in Wilkes-Barre in September.
Mercado has been charged with criminal homicide, robbery, burglary, theft, two counts of arson, abuse of corpse, and tampering with evidence.
Reyes has been charged with second-degree murder and burglary.
According to police, Louisa Reyes, 14, known as Alex, is the daughter of Boote's ex-girlfriend and both Alex and her mother lived at the home until he kicked them out sometime this summer.
Police say that on September 14, the teen knocked on Boote's door and when he answered, authorities say she and Mercado broke into the house.
Police say the Reyes went into the kitchen and got a knife she gave to Mercado, and he then stabbed and killed Boote.
According to the police report, Mercado then doused the victim's body with gas and lit it on fire.
Mercado and Reyes were found in New Jersey the day after the murder, and he has been in jail for almost two months.
The Luzerne County D.A. said given the nature of the charges, Reyes is being prosecuted as an adult in criminal court.
An autopsy showed Boote died from multiple stab wounds and blunt trauma. According to court papers, there were signs of a struggle, and someone tried to set a fire in the room where Boote's body was.
Mercado had been previously arrested and charged in connection with Boote’s murder in September. The district attorney’s office has withdrawn that complaint and is now proceeding jointly against Mercado and Reyes on the new criminal charges, which were filed Friday.