Suspect arrested in fatal stabbing of boy in Lawrence County | TribLIVE.com
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Suspect arrested in fatal stabbing of boy in Lawrence County

Madasyn Czebiniak
| Tuesday, July 9, 2019 6:08 a.m.
WPXI-TV
A child was stabbed and killed at a home on High Street in Union Township, Lawrence County, late on Monday, July 8, 2019.

A man suspected of stabbing an 8-year-old boy to death Monday night in Lawrence County was arrested Tuesday in Ohio.

Police said that Keith Burley, 43, of Edinburg, stabbed the boy multiple times in front of his three brothers, telling him to “die” as he did so.

Police identified the child as Mark Edward Mason.

U.S. Marshals from Pittsburgh and Youngstown tracked Burley to Youngstown where he was arrested.

According to online court records, Burley pleaded guilty to a third-degree murder charge and firearms violation in December 1999. He faces numerous charges in connection to Monday’s stabbing, including homicide, aggravated assault and kidnapping.

Police said they received a report of a possible stabbing shortly after 10:45 p.m. Monday at a home along High Street in Union Township. When they arrived, they found Mark dead on the first floor, covered in multiple stab wounds.

Two of Mark’s siblings told police they were home alone playing video games when Burley arrived there with Mark and their other brother. They said Burley was holding a gun and asked them to look for the magazine for it, according to a criminal complaint.

The oldest brother told police he and one of his brothers went to search for the magazine and got scared when Burley struck one of the other boys. They then saw Burley stabbing Mark with a knife, the complaint said.

The children told police they ran to a nearby house and told a person there to call 911. They told police they saw Burley running from their house.

Police said the stabbing occurred shortly after a fight between Burley and the child’s mother inside her car. According to police, Burley struck the woman in the face multiple times as they argued over their cellphones.

When the woman pulled her car over and got out, Burley drove away with two of her children still inside, police said. Burley isn’t related to either child, police said.


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