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

Anne Yuhas of Nanticoke, left, and Lisa Davies of Kingston hold a photo of their friend, the late Bryan Hogan, who was murdered in January in Wilkes-Barre. They were outside a district judge’s office to show support for Hogan.

Matthew Vantine, 27, waived his preliminary hearing on charges of robbery, aggravated assault, resisting arrested and fleeing from police in Wilkes-Barre.

WILKES-BARRE — Matthew Vantine couldn’t help but look at Bryan Hogan’s picture held by two women inside District Judge Martin Kane’s courtroom on Wednesday.

Hogan, 53, known to his friends as “Hippie,” was found unresponsive inside his residence at Interfaith Heights apartments on Coal Street, Wilkes-Barre, on Jan. 30. An autopsy by forensic pathologist Dr. Gary Ross revealed Hogan died from a stab wound to his chest.

City police detectives suspect Hogan had been dead for a few days before his body was found. Vantine, 27, address listed as homeless, has been named a person of interest in the fatal stabbing, according to search warrant affidavits.

Lisa Davies of Kingston and Anne Yuhas of Nanticoke were Hogan’s friends and came to Vantine’s preliminary hearing on charges he robbed the Turkey Hill store on North Pennsylvania Avenue on Jan. 27.

Police allege Vantine was wearing bloody socks and had a knife in his pocket when he was arrested shortly after the robbery.

“We’re here to support our dear friend Hippie,” Davies said. “We want to see justice for Hippie.”

Davies and Yuhas said Hogan often helped people down on their luck by volunteering at the Mission Shelter in the Sherman Hills apartment complex and the St. Vincent de Paul kitchen on Jackson Street, Wilkes-Barre.

“He was just a great guy, he would help anyone that needed help,” Yuhas said.

Davies and Yuhas held a framed picture of Hogan in the courtroom as Vantine waited for his case to be called. Vantine often glanced at the two women and picture as he sat next to two other inmates.

No charges have been filed for the homicide of Hogan.

Detectives previously secured search warrants to have Vantine submit to a DNA test of his saliva, and to have blood from Vantine’s socks and knife forensically tested. Results of the forensic tests have not been returned.

Police allege Vantine held a knife to a clerk in the Turkey Hill store and demanded cash. He fled the store with money and merchandise and was detained for questioning a short distance away, according to the criminal complaint.

While being questioned, police said Vantine ran from an officer and was captured after a short foot chase in the area of Beaumont and Wyoming streets, the complaint says.

Vantine waived two counts of robbery and aggravated assault, and one count each of resisting arrest and flight to avoid apprehension to county court. He remains jailed at the county correctional facility for lack of $50,000 bail.