GUILTY PA - John Brock, 59, stabbed to death, Pottsville, 6 Aug 2015

Pottsville police alleged that in the early morning hours of Aug. 6, Lukach and Thomas entered John Brock’s 14 S. 12th St. home, fatally stabbed him with a knife and a box-cutter knife and took his debit card, which they used at an automatic teller machine later that day in the city. Brock was the owner of the now-closed Pottsville Bike and Board Shop, 125 W. Market St.

Prosecutors have filed against each man a notice of their intent to seek the death penalty and the aggravating circumstances that would justify it.

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Shavinskin N. Thomas, who faces far greater legal trouble for his alleged killing of a Pottsville man in August 2015, admitted Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court in a separate case that he trespassed in a city parking garage in July 2015.

Thomas, 22, of Pottsville, pleaded guilty Wednesday to defiant trespass.

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Thomas and Lukach, 19, of Pottsville, each are charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, conspiracy, robbery, burglary, criminal trespass, theft, receiving stolen property, access device fraud, recklessly endangering another person, possessing instruments of crime and two counts of aggravated assault.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Thomas, but not Lukach.

Judge Jacqueline L. Russell has scheduled jury selection in Thomas’ homicide trial to start on Sept. 12, with jury selection slated for Sept. 7. Russell has not yet scheduled Lukach’s trial, since prosecutors are appealing to the state Superior Court her decision to suppress certain evidence against the defendant.

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