MAHANOY CITY - The 18-year-old man charged with killing Gene Slavinsky on Tuesday morning was once his neighbor, authorities said.
Jarvin Malik Huggins, White Owl Manor, 5 White Owl Drive, Room 17, is charged with felony criminal homicide, burglary, robbery, aggravated assault, theft by unlawful taking and criminal trespass as well as misdemeanor offenses of theft by unlawful taking and unauthorized use of automobiles for allegedly beating Slavinsky, 48, to death inside his 408 W. Centre St. home.
State police Trooper Edward Lizewski of the Frackville station, the arresting officer, said that Huggins knew Slavinsky prior to the slaying.
Although he could not call the two friends, Lizewski said Saturday that the two were "familiar with each other."
At one point, Lizewski said Huggins and Slavinsky were neighbors.
About 9 a.m. Tuesday, Lizewski said Huggins entered the Slavinsky home through a metal trap door on the front porch, lured the victim to the basement by interrupting electrical power from the breaker box and then beat him over the head with a 12-pound metal window weight.
Lizewski said the weight, that measured about 16-inches long, was found near the body with blood, hair and skin still attached.
After taking a laptop computer and money, Lizewski said Huggins stole Slavinsky's car to take the stolen goods to his room and then returned the vehicle.
Slavinsky's body was found by neighbors about 8 p.m. Thursday and less than 24 hours later, Huggins was taken into custody while trying to run from White Owl Manor on foot after crawling through a window. He was charged after confessing to the crime.
At the Slavinsky home Saturday, balloons and a white poster board with words of condolences written on it could be seen by people driving by on the borough's main street.
"Gob Bless Gene!" said one message signed by "The Killians" while another message read "You were a great person with a wonderful heart. You will be missed by many people. RIP Gene," signed John and Lyndsey Morgans.
While friends and family of Slavinsky are mourning, Huggins sits in Schuylkill County Prison where he is being held without bail after being arraigned Friday night by Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon.
Bail for a criminal homicide charge can only be set by a judge in the county Court of Common Pleas and not on the magisterial district judge level.
Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David Moylan said an autopsy Saturday at Reading Hospital determined Slavinsky died of a fractured skull caused by blunt force trauma.
Moylan confirmed the state police charges and ruled the manner of death homicide.
Lizewski said investigators believe that Huggins targeted Slavinsky because he knew the man and that he knew he had cash inside the home.
The killing was not a random act of violence, the officer said.
"The people of Mahanoy City are just as safe today as they were prior to this killing," Lizewski said.