An Easton resident is charged with slaying a Lehighton man. 

State police at Lehighton have charged Yessy Rivera, 29, of Easton, with killing Brian Paul Lindner, 44, of 929 Coal St., Lehighton on Sunday.Tuesday morning, emergency personnel and law enforcement agencies responded to the home of Michael W. Jerden Jr., at 929 Coal St., where they found Lindner’s body face down in a pool of blood in the basement. Troopers said Lindner’s throat had been cut. 

 The investigation

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by troopers Nicholas De La Iglesia and Tristann Bennett:

Michael W. Jerden Jr. called the county communications center at 6:40 a.m. reporting that his brother, Brian Jerden, had found a man dead in the basement of his home. 

When Michael Jerden was interviewed by troopers, he admitted he witnessed “Yessy,” later identified as Yessy Rivera, put a knife to the throat of Lindner and cut him, causing the victim to fall to the floor and die. 

Jerden also said Rivera was with a woman, identified as Audra Marie Maynard, 48, of Easton. 

Jerden said he did not initially call police because he was afraid. He also said Rivera’s car, which was registered to Maynard, was parked in the rear of the residence and that Lindner’s vehicle was missing.

The victim’s 2012 blue Dodge Avenger was found at 4325 N. Delaware Ave., in Easton, the home of Maynard. That is where Rivera and Maynard were taken into custody and returned to Carbon County.

Maynard was interviewed at the state police barracks and said that Rivera had struck the victim in the throat with a knife. She said that she and Rivera then fled the scene in Lindner’s car and traveled to Virginia to flee the jurisdiction. However, she said that they did not have enough money to complete the trip and returned to her home in Easton.

Rivera at first did not want to speak to police but later agreed to talk to them after being given his Miranda warnings. He admitted being present at the Jerden residence when the incident took place and fleeing in the victim’s car. However, he denied killing the victim. He did admit owning a black knife, which was found at the scene with blood on it.

He said he traveled to Allentown with Lindner, Maynard and Michael Jerden on April 30 to purchase drugs. He said that he assaulted Lindner in Allentown and left him there while he and the others returned to Lehighton using Lindner’s car.

He then said Lindner later returned to Jerden’s home and began yelling at him and Michael Jerden for leaving him in Allentown. Rivera said he was aware that Lindner had died and did not call police. He said that he and Maynard fled in the victim’s car, knowing Lindner was dead.

After being returned to Carbon County and interviewed, Rivera was then arraigned before District Judge Eric M. Schrantz of Jim Thorpe at 11 p.m. on charges of criminal homicide, robbery of a motor vehicle and two counts of aggravated assault.

Because it is a homicide charge no bail was set and Rivera was committed to the county prison in Nesquehoning.First on scene

Lehighton police were first on scene, along with medical personnel. Borough police then requested the assistance of the state police at Lehighton. The Troop N Major Case Team also responded and took over the investigation. Also on scene was District Attorney Jean A. Engler and Coroner Robert Miller, who pronounced Lindner dead at 7:25 a.m.

Court records indicate that Rivera has a pending criminal case in Carbon County involving charges of receiving stolen property, altered/obliterated mark of identification and firearms not to be carried without a license. All are felony counts. The charges were filed by state police Hazleton for an incident on Jan. 13, 2014, and he is scheduled to go on trial on June 5.

He also had seven cases in Northampton County that were all disposed of and four in Lehigh County, with two still pending. The charges in those cases are predominantly drug-related charges plus some assault incidents.

Lindner was facing a DUI charge in Carbon County.

Troopers said the investigation is ongoing.