A teen was stabbed and killed by another teen in Scranton at the end of last month. The 18 year old victim was allegedly stabbed by Cathleen Boyer, who is 16 years old, over an argument on Facebook.
According to the police report, Boyer and the victim got in a heated argument on Facebook. The victim then left her home to confront Boyer, who allegedly stabbed the victim in the neck and chest. The victim later died in the hospital from stab wounds.
The 16 year old teen was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment and tampering with evidence. However, since the coroner ruled the victim’s death as a homicide, the Lackawanna County District Attorney said Boyer will likely face more serious charges.
Though the victim’s death is still under investigation, Boyer will likely face murder charges. If the investigation reveals that the unlawful killing of the victim was both willful and premeditated, Boyer may be charged with first degree murder. If the investigation reveals that the unlawful killing of the victim was intentional, but not premeditated or planned, Boyer may face murder in the third degree.
Boyer may also be charged with voluntary manslaughter, which is a first degree felony in Pennsylvania. Voluntary manslaughter occurs when a defendant kills another individual, i.e., the victim or another person, under serious provocation by the victim or sudden and intense passion. For instance, in this case, Boyer can argue that she was provoked by the victim when the victim came to her house and killed her because she was confronted or attacked.
Since Boyer is only 16 years old, her lawyer will likely file a motion to have the case moved to juvenile court. If the court denies the motion, Boyer will be tried as an adult. This is what happened to three Scranton teens earlier this year.
Last year, three Scranton teens were charged with various crimes including second degree murder, which is an intentional killing, but not premeditated, caused while in the course of committing a felony. The teens allegedly stole a car and were pursued by the police. The teens stopped the car and jumped out. The police then chased the teens on foot. One police officer died after falling from a wall.
See Recent Scranton Murder News & Update (May 2016) – By a Philadelphia Criminal Lawyer
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