LANDINGVILLE - While the investigation into the death of Bryan R. Smith continued Wednesday, neighbors said they were surprised by the incident.
"It's uncharacteristic of him to want to kill somebody," Tim Osatchuck, 49, of 342 Meadow Drive, Schuylkill Haven, said of Keith A. Reber, who is one of two men charged in Smith's death.
Osatchuck said he has known Reber for more than 20 years and that Reber mostly keeps to himself.
Reber, 48, of Schuylkill Haven, and Daniel W. Dull, 25, of Orwigsburg, were charged Tuesday in the death of Smith, 26, of Orwigsburg, by state police Trooper Bernard Spece of the Schuylkill Haven station.
Spece said Reber and Dull led Smith to a secluded area off Meadow Drive and tied him to a tree at about 3 a.m. Monday.
They left Smith alone for about 20 hours, returning at 11 p.m. Monday, when they found Smith dead. Spece said the pair went to the Schuylkill Haven borough police station and told officers what happened. Police found Smith's body Tuesday morning.
Autopsy
An autopsy on Smith's body was conducted Wednesday at Reading Hospital and Medical Center, West Reading, by forensic pathologist Dr. Neil Hoffman.
Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David Moylan said the three-hour procedure included a full toxicology test along with testing for electrolyte imbalances that may have been caused by the high heat and humidity that Smith was likely exposed to throughout the day Monday.
Moylan said no cause of death has been determined and more information should be available in two or three weeks when toxicology and other laboratory results are received.
Moylan said he attended the autopsy with Schuylkill County Chief Investigative Deputy Coroner James Nettles and state police Cpl. David Dupree.
Criminal homicide
Reber was charged Tuesday with one count each of criminal homicide, aggravated assault, kidnapping, persons not to possess, use or manufacture firearms, unlawful restraint, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and six counts of criminal conspiracy, Spece said.
Spece charged Dull with one count each of criminal homicide, aggravated assault, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, recklessly endangering another person and simple assault, along with six counts of criminal conspiracy.
Reber and Dull were committed to Schuylkill County Prison without bail Tuesday, because bail for criminal homicide charges can only be set by a county court judge.
"I think he just wanted to scare him, work him over a little bit. I don't think he wanted it to end the way it did," Osatchuck said of Reber.
At Reber's address, 294 Meadow Drive, Ryan Miller, a friend, also spoke well of Reber.
"The guy's a really good guy." the 23-year-old said while standing on the property. He said he was visiting the address Wednesday to check on the property.
In Orwigsburg, neighbors of Dull's Station Road home refused to comment.
Borough Manager Mike Lonergan called it a "sad, unfortunate situation."
Blue Mountain High School Principal James Ketner confirmed Wednesday that Smith attended the school. Ketner did not know if Smith graduated and an employee in the school's guidance office would not confirm if Smith attended or graduated from Blue Mountain.