COOLBAUGH TWP., Pa. – Pocono Mountain Regional Police have made an arrest in the homicide of a 26-year-old man who was killed on Thursday.
Police say they were called to a home on Chelsea Circle in Coolbaugh Township just before 8 p.m. on June 18, and found Layzon Breland suffering from multiple wounds, including a head wound, within his upstairs bedroom.
Witnesses said Breland had been in a physical fight in the front yard of the residence with an unknown male. Breland retreated into the home, and the unknown male forcibly entered the home, now armed with a handgun. The male chased Breland to the upstairs bedroom. Breland had now armed himself with a handgun, and a gunfight ensued within the bedroom.
Police say Breland was struck multiple times and succumbed to his injuries. The male suspect was also struck.
The male suspect then fled from the home, leaving a blood trail from the bedroom, through the home, and to the street. Witnesses then stated that a white vehicle fled the scene.
At approximately 8:19 p.m. a male entered a Scranton Hospital suffering from a gunshot wound. That male was identified as Yasim McDonald. Video surveillance showed a male being dropped off near the hospital from a white vehicle.
License plate readers also picked up a white vehicle traveling towards Scranton at 8:17 p.m.. The vehicle’s registration plate came back to the girlfriend of Yasim McDonald.
Police later located and recovered this vehicle, now known as a Kia K5. Police noted what appeared to be blood and cleaning supplies within the vehicle.
Police then served several search warrants. One for the body of McDonald, one for the scene of the homicide, one for the Kia, along with several other related warrants.
At the crime scene, police collected DNA samples from the suspect’s blood trail. At the hospital, police collected DNA samples from McDonald. On Friday, the two DNA samples came back as associated through a rapid DNA analysis. Charges were then prepared for McDonald, and the arrest was effected.
Police obtained an arrest warrant against McDonald for criminal homicide and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.
27-year-old Yasim McDonald was taken into custody on Friday for the alleged homicide of Layzon Breland.
McDonald is hospitalized and will be arraigned once prudent. Additional DNA analysis will occur to confirm the rapid DNA testing as well as additional forensic testing.
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