Police: Teen facing attempted homicide charge after marijuana deal goes awry
MAHANOY CITY – A 15-year-old is charged as an adult, accused of stabbing a man who police say was selling marijuana to him early Thursday morning.
Nazik Jamail Holder, 15, of 635 West Spruce Street, Mahanoy City, is facing an attempted criminal homicide charge along with a host of felony assault and robbery charges for the incident.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Mahanoy City Police Ptlm. Rachael Lenar, police were called around 3:30am Thursday to the Mahanoy City Food Store for a report of a male bleeding in a vehicle with his mother.
Mahanoy City and Shenandoah Police arrived along with Shenandoah Ambulance and found the victim, Marquis Hettrick, lying on the sidewalk, bleeding profusely from his abdominal area and head. He had been stabbed in the torso and had a deep stab wound as a result.
Hettrick told officers that he was meeting with a black male to return a cell phone on Railroad Street behind the Family Dollar. Shenandoah Police searched that area for evidence and nothing was found there.
Hettrick was flown to Geisinger Medical Center near Danville for treatment of his injuries.
Friday morning, Lenar and Mahanoy City Police Chief T.J. Rentschler interviewed Hettrick at the hospital, where he told officers that he was put in contact with a potential buyer, Holder, for marijuana by a friend.
That friend set up the deal via Snapchat and they were set to meet behind Family Dollar.
There, Hettrick and a teen met with Holder, who agreed to buy an eighth of marijuana for $20. Holder was given the marijuana and Hettrick said he felt Holder was stalling in providing payment, taking “an extended period of time inspecting the marijuana.”
Holder then struck Hettrick in the head and Hettrick began to flee, at which point he felt Holder strike him in the stomach and back.
Hettrick escaped across the Family Dollar lot, across Centre Street and to Catawissa Street before he realized he had been stabbed and was bleeding profusely.
He then called for help from his mother, realizing he couldn’t make it home.
Hettrick suffered severe injuries as a result of the stabbing, including lacerations to the liver and a punctured lung.
Police also interviewed the teen who was present at the deal, who corroborated Hettrick’s story.
Holder is facing attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault, and felony robbery charges and bail was set at $500,000 cash.
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