The Pennsylvania State Police and District Attorney's office filed charges on Wednesday morning against a man they say is responsible for the death of an 18 and 16 year old in New Philadelphia in October of 2023.
On Wednesday morning, Lamour Branch, of Port Carbon was charged with murder in the first degree, murder in the third degree, aggravated assault, simple assault, possessing the instrument of a crime, recklessly endangering another person, and tampering with evidence. In total Branch was charged 22 counts across all the charges.
Branch was taken into custody on Wednesday morning at the Schuylkill County Courthouse after a hearing for burglary charges for a separate crime.
Wednesday's charges were in relation to the deaths of Hunter Mock, 18, and Angelito Caraballo, 16, after they were reported missing and later found their bodies in an area known as “The Sanchez”, an old mining area filled with water and where people socialize and have bonfires.
Investigators stated the coroner arrived on the scene and pronounced both of the victims dead. The coroner said Mock sustained a gunshot wound to the head and Caraballo sustained several puncture wounds/laceration-type injuries causing his death.Branch was transported Wednesday by State Police to Magisterial District Judge David Plachko's office in Port Carbon where he was arraigned on the above charges and sent back to Schuylkill County Prison.
Judge Plachko denied bail.
A press conference is scheduled for Wednesday.
Skook News will have more information on the court filings and press conference later Wednesday.