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Man with low IQ found competent to stand trial in sister’s fatal stabbing

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Their view: Longing for the comforts of home

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The defense attorney for a 14-year-old girl accused of being part of a grisly homicide in Wilkes-Barre has filed to have her case moved to juvenile court.</p><p>Louisa Reyes has been charged as an adult. She&#8217;s facing a count of second-degree murder in the September death of Fred Boote, 58.</p><p>According to prosecutors, Reyes, along with Reynaldo Mercado, 31, hatched a plot to rob Boote in his Donald Court home. When Boote fought back, Mercado allegedly stabbed him multiple times. The pair allegedly tried to burn Boote&#8217;s body to dispose of evidence.</p><p>They are both charged additionally with robbery, burglary, abuse of a corpse and related conspiracy counts.</p><p>Reyes appeared in district court this week, where she sent all of her charges to county court without a preliminary hearing.</p><p>In a Friday filing, defense attorney Frank McCabe claimed that Reyes is a proper subject for treatment within the juvenile court system, citing in part his client&#8217;s age and maturity level.</p><p>According to McCabe, the juvenile court system has &#8220;adequate, appropriate and effective facilities to treat the juvenile,&#8221; including housing in a juvenile system.</p><p>McCabe also claims that, in the juvenile system, she has a possibility of something else: rehabilitation.</p><p>&#8220;(Reyes) has ample time to be rehabilitated in the juvenile system considering her age and the possibility that she could be under the supervision of this Court until the age of 21,&#8221; he wrote.</p><p>McCabe writes that he believes Reyes is &#8220;in need of and amenable to a program of supervision, care, and rehabilitation which she could receive as a juvenile with the juvenile court system.&#8221;</p><p>Mercado also appeared in court this week. He had his charges sent to county court by District Judge Richard J. Cronauer.</p><p>Prosecutors say they have a tape where Mercado confessed to killing Boote while being interviewed by a city detective.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Boote </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_shotsfortots-3-Copy-1-1-1-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Boote </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_-TTL111018LouisaReyes1-1-1-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Reyes </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_-TTL111018LouisaReyes1-1-1-3.jpg</photo1><caption1>Reyes </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Girl, 14, accused in WB slaying</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Attorney for 14-year-old homicide suspect files to have case moved to juvenile court