Lamour Branch murder case heading to trial

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — The man accused of killing two Schuylkill County teenagers last fall appeared in court.

After hearing testimony from a witness and state police during the preliminary hearing, the judge decided the case now heads to trial.

It was an emotional day at the Schuylkill County Courthouse as family members and friends of the teen victims filled the courtroom.

19-year-old Lamour Branch of Port Carbon had nothing to say as he was escorted into the hearing.

According to investigators, a Branch shot 18-year-old Hunter Mock and stabbed 16-year-old Angelito Caraballo to death on October 8 in a wooded area near New Philadelphia known as “The Sanchez.”

“Very surreal, and I can only hope and pray that this will go to jury soon, and that maybe my child can finally lay to rest,” said Kate Mock Hunter Mock’s mother.

The hearing included testimony from the state trooper leading the case and a witness 20-year-old Jalique Sherwood.

Sherwood was present with Branch, Caraballo, and Mock the night of the murders, and testified that he saw Branch pull out a gun and point it at Mock before he took off running. After that, he said he heard multiple gunshots and Caraballo screaming.

“There’s not any questions that I haven’t run a thousand times of possibilities or different options of what could or could not have happened, but yeah there are a whole slew of new questions now going through my brain,” explained Kate.

Sherwood testified that he did not witness the shooting or stabbing. He said he ran to the nearest house, where the residents called 911.

Branch was arrested at his mother’s property in Wright Township, Luzerne County, where police found parts of a 9-millimeter ghost gun that matched shell casings found at the scene. A knife matching the description of the stab wounds was also found by police.

“I mean, Lamour had everything, so I feel like if Sherwood had anything to do with it, he would of had at least one of the weapons,” added Tanya Evans, Angelito Caraballo’s mom.

Branch faces many charges including first- and third-degree murder. Sherwood has not been named a suspect.

“We still have a long road ahead of us,” stated Evans

The case now heads to trial.

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