Pocono News Section

Triple Murder Investigation

Triple Murder Investigation - Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:54PM EST

Thursday, Jul 17, 2008 @ 09:54pm EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY - After an all-out manhunt, 25-year-old Randal Rushing has been arrested. He's the suspect in a triple homicide early Thursday morning in Lackawanna County.

Scranton police were called to a home at 1604 South Irving Avenue just before 7:00 AM. Investigators say they found the bodies of three men dead inside. Four other people were found bound but were not injured.

The victims have been identified as: 22-year-old Dustin Hintz, 20-year-old Justin Berrios and 16-year-old Leslie Collier. The people who survived have been identified as 43-year-old Cynthia Collier, 21-year-old Matthew Collier, 19-year-old Samantha Hintz and 2-year-old Tristan Berrios.

Friends of victim Leslie Collier waited at the scene until they got the worst news.

"He was the best friend you could want. He would go out of his way," friend Ron Strasburger said.

Friends comforted each other as best they could. Dan Price worked with Collier at the New Life Baptist Church.

"This is a rough area. There are a lot of people around here that are not easy to deal with," Price said.

Jose Berrioes, father of Justin Berrios arrived at the scene just before noon. He was shocked, upset and looking for answers.

"My son was a nice guy. Not troublemaker or nothing," Berrios said.

Berrios said his son grew up in West Scranton and vowed to get revenge on his son's killer, even after he was in prison.

"If they bring him to the county jail, I say it to them (police) and your cameras, I'll get in there and I'll get in there believe me," Berrios said.

As for the suspect, Randal Rushing, he was caught just before 4:30 PM at a home in Luzerne County. SWAT team members raided a building on High Street. Rushing was taken into custody after trying to flee. No police officers were hurt.

"I had fun," is what Rushing told members of the press as he was taken away in handcuffs. He wasn't wearing any shoes and was being pulled by investigators.

Rushing will be arraigned at some point Thursday night in Lackawanna County. He is expected to face three charges of criminal homicide.

Police have not released a motive in the murder investigation. They do say that there was a relationship between Rushing and Samantha Hintz, one of the woman who survived. Investigators also will not confirm exactly how the victims were killed. They are classifying the investigation as a shooting, but they admit that until autopsies are done, they can't confirm that all the victims died because of gunshots. The crime scene has been described as "brutal."

Neighbors who live along the 1600-block of South Irving Avenue are in shock.

"My insides are still shaking. I can't believe something like that could happen in your neighborhood," neighbor Jeanne White said.

"They were friends. I talked to them every once in a while. Neighborly," next-door neighbor Paul Ozack said.

"It's scary. I mean, how close it is to where I live. I've never had this before," neighbor Aimee Kohler said.

"Its unbelievable that something like this could happen, especially in a house where I spent my childhood in. It's sad," neighbor Larry Barclay said.

Scranton police investigators say they expect to spend a majority of time at the crime scene on Friday as the investigation continues.

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