Edward Whitehead Jr., 59, was allegedly killed by an attacker sporting a chainsaw and “Scream” horror franchise mask and clothing Monday, Lehigh Valley Live reported.
The Lehighton Borough Police Department responded to “a report of an assault in progress” and found that the 59-year-old victim was “struck by a piercing object” that he eventually died from, according to a press release statement by the Pennsylvania State Police. (RELATED: Murder Suspect Sets Self On Fire During Arrest After Fatally Stabbing Woman)
Police arrested Zak Russel Moyer, Whitehead’s 30-year-old neighbor, who allegedly confessed to murdering the victim, according to court documents cited by Lehigh Valley Live. Moyer allegedly said he went next door “for the purpose of scaring” Whitehead and that he was armed with a knife and chainsaw along with his costume, the outlet reported.
A man wearing a costume and mask resembling the attacker in the “Scream” horror franchise admitted to stabbing his neighbor in the head in Lehighton, Pa., investigators say. https://t.co/xpwFS7NWOQ
— lehighvalleylive.com (@lehighvalley) March 26, 2024
Moyer also allegedly admitted that he had stabbed Whitehead with his knife, while state troopers insisted that Whitehead “was struck with a chainsaw and a knife in the head by a male who was observed on surveillance video footage,” the outlet noted. The alleged murderer was “wearing a mask and a black costume-like garment, consistent with the ‘Scream’ movie character” according to the police, the outlet reported.
“Scream” is a horror movie and television franchise featuring a slasher genre mass murderer, ScreenRant noted.
Moyer allegedly claimed that Whitehead was a criminal but State police spokesman Trooper Anthony Petroski III told the outlet that they were not looking into these claims.
The police report said that Moyer allegedly wrote a sign for the police that read, “Ed murdered women and kids. Eddie Junior murdered women and kids last summer,” WFMZ noted.
Police say that Moyer’s sister told them that Moyer had allegedly expressed the desire to kill Whitehead a week ago, Lehigh Valley Live noted. Moyer was formally charged with a single count of homicide and was denied bail, the outlet reported.