Homicide suspect arrested in Nanticoke

NANTICOKE �?? Armed state police troopers converged on a Nanticoke house at 146-148 W. Church St. Wednesday afternoon, arresting a man linked to a homicide in Monroe County.

The man, whom police later identified as Michael Rhubart, 28, of Effort, was handcuffed on the front porch and quickly taken away by Troop N Major Crime Unit troopers to the Fern Ridge barracks.

Rhubart was arrested on charges of criminal homicide, aggravated assault, persons not to possess a firearm and tampering with evidence. He was arraigned and remanded to Monroe County Jail without bail.

State police at Fern Ridge said they were led to the Nanticoke house after three people were stopped in a vehicle in the Poconos earlier Wednesday.

State police said Rhubart was arrested after investigating the homicide of Jubar Hughes, 33, of Effort, Pa., and formerly of Newark, N.J., whose body was found Monday in a shallow grave just off state Route 115 in Kidder Township, Carbon County.

A video recorded by a person who witnessed the arrest Wednesday shows armed troopers wearing bulletproof vests slowly walking up steps to the porch yelling at the man to lie on the porch floor. Other armed troopers ducked behind parked vehicles.

�??We were in the house, we heard sirens and the officers told us to get in the house,�?� said West Church Street resident Jonah Hartman.

West Church Street was closed for about 30 minutes.

In a press release issued Wednesday night, state police said an autopsy revealed the cause of death for Hughes was a shotgun wound to the head.

Times Leader staff writer Steve Mocarsky contributed to this report.