Grayson
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WILKES-BARRE — Surveillance videos from different cameras were combined together to follow the travels of three people suspected in a fatal shooting in the area of North Meade and Coal Streets, Wilkes-Barre, on Jan. 30.
Wilkes-Barre Police Detective Joseph Sinavage played the videos he gathered during the preliminary hearing of Yuamir S. Grayson, 27, Kadeen K. Carruth, 19, and Breanna Marie Knight, 26, held before District Judge Thomas Malloy at the Luzerne County Courthouse Friday.
Sinavage said a white Ford Focus was involved in the shooting that claimed the life of Elijah Rivers, 22, who was found in front of 117 N. Meade St. at about 11:53 p.m.
Assistant district attorneys Carl Frank, Daniel Mulhern and Rachel Spivak said Rivers died from a gunshot wound to the chest.
City police detectives in court records believe Grayson and Rivers had a years-long feud against each other.
Sinavage said he was able to obtain numerous pieces of surveillance footage before and after the shooting which he pieced together, showing the travels of Grayson, Carruth and Knight.
Beginning at SGS Studios on South Empire Street, Wilkes-Barre, footage showed Knight getting into the driver’s seat of the Ford with Carruth sitting in the front passenger seat and Grayson in the rear seat, Sinavage said.
Sinavage said footage showed the Ford traveling to North Meade Street while a surveillance camera recorded multiple gunshots. Other footage showed the Ford speeding away seconds after the shooting and returning to SGS Studios where the three entered the building through a window, and leaving wearing different clothing and carrying bags.
Attorney Mary Theresa Maran, of Philadelphia, who represents Grayson, objected many times during Sinavage’s testimony, claiming the video footage is dark and suggesting it would be impossible to identify the vehicle and the three occupants.
Knight’s attorneys, James J. Scanlon and Sidney D. May, also objected to using the dark surveillance footage as a means to identify the occupants and Ford. At one point during the hearing, Sinavage said he was able to identify Knight as the driver as he was familiar with Knight wearing her hair in buns.
Knight allegedly parked on North Meade Street as Grayson and Carruth exited the vehicle. Knight drove away and Rivers arrived minutes later in a Dodge Charger as Grayson and Carruth approached and fired multiple rounds, court records say.
Grayson and Carruth, represented by Attorney Allyson L. Kacmarski, ran to the Ford that was idling a short distance away before Knight sped away, according to court records.
Numerous .40-caliber and .45-caliber shell casings were recovered at the scene by the Pennsylvania State Police, Troop P, Forensic Services Unit.
Following a near six-hour hearing, Malloy determined prosecutors established a case against Grayson, Carruth and Knight, sending charges of criminal homicide and two counts of criminal conspiracy to commit criminal homicide against the trio to Luzerne County Court. Carruth is further charged with firearms not to be carried without a license.
The hearing was ongoing early Friday afternoon.