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WILKES-BARRE — Two preliminary hearings were set Thursday morning in connection with the homicide of city resident Fred Boote — one for each defendant — but only one occurred, and it proved contentious.
Defendant Reynaldo Mercado’s hearing was interrupted by an outburst from one of the victim’s sons, Daniel Boote, who swore at the man accused of killing his father and threatened him.
“You’re (expletive)-ed, papí, you’re (expletive)-ed,” Boote shouted. County detectives escorted him out of the courtroom as he continued, “Your whole family’s (expletive)-ed. I’ll kill you. You’re (expletive)-ing dead.”
Mercado, 31, and Louisa Reyes, 14, appeared before District Judge Richard J. Cronauer.
Following testimony in Mercado’s case, Cronauer ruled that prosecutors established enough of a case, sending all 12 of Mercado’s charges to county court.
Reyes, who’s been charged as an adult in the 58-year-old’s September death, took the unusual route of sending all of her charges to the county level without a preliminary hearing.
Graphic testimony
Mercado’s hearing was an emotional one, with Wilkes-Barre Ptlm. James Fisher describing how he and two other officers found Boote’s body in his Donald Court home.
Fisher described Boote as being curled up on the floor and covered in blood, with parts of his body having been charred.
Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney Tony Ross asked Fisher if he knew Boote prior to finding him dead.
“I knew Fred for almost 20 years,” Fisher said, voice breaking slightly. But after that brief moment of emotion, Fisher maintained a coolly professional tone.
Fisher described a scene absolutely covered in blood, on the wall, on the sheets, “even on the curtains over on the far wall.”
He said officers found an 8-inch kitchen blade, and said Boote had a number of wounds, but had an especially bad one in his lower back.
“It appeared he was leaking pretty good from that area,” he said.
Luzerne County Deputy Coroner Dan Hughes, who pronounced Boote dead, said, “It was kind of a gruesome scene.”
While being cross-examined by Mercado’s defense attorney Allyson Kacmarski, Hughes said Boote suffered from numerous stab wounds over “the majority of his body,” including most of his upper torso, his arms and his head.
That’s when Daniel Boote’s outburst began.
Alleged confession
Perhaps the most explosive testimony came from Wilkes-Barre Detective Matthew Stash, who began his investigation with an interview of Carmen Cardy, a Wilkes-Barre woman who is the mother of Reyes and lived with Mercado. Cardy is also an ex-girlfriend of Boote’s.
Cardy told Stash both her daughter and Mercado had gone missing, adding that she was concerned for her daughter’s safety. An Amber Alert was issued for Reyes.
She was later found with Mercado in West New York, N.J., a suburb of New York City. When Mercado was arrested, initially just on the charge of interference in the custody of children, he waived his Miranda rights.
Stash said Mercado confessed to killing Boote. According to Stash, Mercado said the plot initially started as a robbery plan hatched by Reyes, who planned on gaining access to Boote’s home and then allowing Mercado in.
Mercado told Stash he went upstairs and struck Boote in the back of the head with a lamp, shattering it to pieces. Reyes ran to the kitchen, grabbed a knife and returned. Mercado says he cut himself taking the knife. He said he remembers stabbing Boote in the back, and then blacked out.
He told Reyes to check the house for flammable liquids to try to dispose of the body. She allegedly returned with a canister of gas, which he poured on the body and attempted to light it, but it quickly burned out.
Stash said the pair left the home, taking only $25 and Boote’s cell phone. Mercado then allegedly attempted to burn his shoes and his clothing in the basement of a home near his Maffett Street residence.
Stash said a video of Mercado’s confession would be available as evidence.
After the hearing, Kacmarski said she was anxious to see the video of Mercado’s confession before any determinations can be made regarding it, adding she would be taking the case one step at a time.
Reyes is facing a total of nine charges. She’s charged with a count of second-degree murder, felony counts of burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, conspiracy to commit robbery, arson and conspiracy to commit arson, along with misdemeanor counts of theft, conspiracy to commit theft and abuse of a corpse.
Mercado faces almost the same charges. But he’s been charged with an open count of criminal homicide instead of second-degree murder, and is also facing additional charges, including a felony count of interference with the custody of children and one misdemeanor count each of conspiracy to commit the abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence.
