Fred Boote, 58, was found dead from multiple stab wounds inside his Wilkes-Barre residence Sept. 14, 2018

Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

WILKES-BARRE — A 16-year-old girl on Thursday admitted to her role in the killing of Fred Boote inside the victim’s Wilkes-Barre home and agreed to testify against her co-defendant Reynaldo Mercado, with whom she had a romantic relationship.

Louisa Alexandra Reyes was in court for a scheduled motions hearing before Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough when prosecutors announced they reached a plea agreement with her attorney, Frank T. McCabe II.

Reyes pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for her participation in hatching a plan to rob Boote, 58, at his home on Donald Court on Sept. 14, 2018.

Assistant district attorneys Tony Ross, Drew McLaughlin and Garry Scott alleged Reyes talked her way inside Boote’s home and was quickly followed by Mercado, 33, who they alleged stabbed Boote 52 times and burned the body.

Prosecutors alleged Reyes and Mercado got away with $25.

Boote’s body was discovered when a city police officer was returning a dog that got loose from the home.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Reyes agreed to testify against Mercado, whose trial is scheduled to begin with jury selection Nov. 13 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township.

Mercado’s trial is being held at the arena to accommodate social distancing practices during the coronavirus pandemic.

After Reyes’ proceeding was finished and she was escorted from the courthouse, Vough presided over a motions hearing for Mercado that became turbulent.

Prosecutors are seeking to preclude a toxicology report that showed Boote had levels of methamphetamine in his system when he was killed.

Ross during Thursday’s hearing said the methamphetamine is irrelevant to the homicide.

Mercado’s attorney, Allyson L. Kacmarski, asked that the toxicology report be presented to the jury.

Dr. Michael Coyer, a director at Princeton Analytical Laboratories in Dunmore, testified Boote had low levels of methamphetamine from blood samples taken during the autopsy. Coyer told Vough that the low methamphetamine levels did not impair Boote and was not a contributing factor in his killing.

“This wouldn’t rise to the level of being impaired,” Coyer testified for prosecutors.

Mercado’s hearing then turned stormy when Kacmarski called her toxicology expert, Dr. Lawrence Guzzardi, to testify.

Prior to Thursday’s hearing, Guzzardi submitted a one-page report indicating he could not formulate a final opinion about methamphetamine being involved in Boote’s homicide.

Ross requested that Guzzardi had nothing to offer but Vough under strict instructions advised Guzzardi to testify about his one-page report.

Ross and Guzzardi talked over one another several times and at one point, Vough told Guzzardi he had nothing to say and excused Guzzardi from the witness stand.

Guzzardi was permitted to stay and testify, noting he disagreed with the prosecution’s toxicology expert, Coyer.

Guzzardi said the level of methamphetamine in Boote indicated it was non-prescription and suggested it could have raised his sexual desire. Kacmarski’s expert toxicology witness said there are claims Boote was sexually assaulting Reyes when Mercado came to her defense.

“We don’t know where Mr. Boote got the methamphetamine,” Guzzardi testified.

Guzzardi said he interviewed Mercado via video and the version told to him is “vastly different” from Mercado’s video taped alleged confession to police.

Vough said he will rule at a later date if Boote’s toxicology report will be presented during Mercado’s trial. Vough will also rule on a self-defense claim by Mercado, and if jurors will be told about the romantic relationship between Reyes and Mercado.