A Luzerne County man went on trial this week in Carbon County court charged for his part in the armed robbery of a store in the county.

Elton Molina, 27, of West 11th Street, Hazleton, is charged for his part in the robbery of the Tresckow Superfood Market, at 6 Walnut St., Tresckow, Banks Township, on Sept. 10, 2014, at 7:43 p.m. Molina is charged with criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault; robbery; criminal conspiracy, robbery; theft; and simple assault.

He is charged along with Amir Edwards, 25, also of Hazleton, with taking about $2,100 from the store owner and “pistol whipping” him, causing injuries that required medical attention.

Edwards was arrested a short time after the incident by Hazleton city police on homicide charges for the stabbing death of Zachary Richards, 27, of Hazleton. Edwards pleaded guilty to third-degree murder in September 2016 in that case and was sentenced to serve 20 to 40 years in a state correctional institution.

Edwards pleaded guilty to robbery in Carbon County court to his part in the Tresckow incident. However, in March he attempted to withdraw his plea. A hearing was held before Judge Joseph J. Matika on his petition to withdraw his plea. After the hearing, Matika denied the petition to withdraw. Edwards is scheduled to be sentenced on the charge at 9 a.m. on May 18 before Matika.

Chief witness

The key witness for the commonwealth, being represented by District Attorney Jean A. Engler, testified Tuesday afternoon that Molina admitted to her to participating in a robbery with his friend “Bo Bo.” Prior testimony indicted that Edwards’ nickname is “Bo Bo” and Molina’s is “Lefty.”

The witness told the jury she and Molina had a relationship that resulted in a child being born to them. She said she and Molina celebrated their respective birthdays on the weekend of Sept. 13-14, 2014, at a home in Quakake, Schuylkill County. During that weekend she said Molina told her he was involved in a robbery with “Bo Bo,” who she knew was Edwards. She said, “He told me him and Bo Bo robbed somebody.”

She said, however, that he did not say where the robbery occurred. She also said Molina showed her a cellphone photo of himself dressed in dark clothing wearing a ski mask and ski-type goggles and asked her if she could recognize him. She told him she could recognize him.

She said on Sept. 14 Molina left Quakake but later in the day called her and asked her for money. She said Molina told her he needed the money “because he wanted to run.” She said he told her he wanted to go to Canada.

She further testified that Molina told her he and Bo Bo “got into a car and robbed somebody.”

She also said she was shown by police a video surveillance tape which pictured two people leaving the store in dark clothing and wearing masks. She said she identified one of the two as Molina because he was wearing the same clothing as he was wearing on the photo he showed her on his cellphone.

Under questioning by court-appointed defense counsel attorney Arly L. Kemmerer, the woman admitted she never called police about what Molina had told her but only spoke about it after police called her in for an interview.

Other testimony

Also called as witnesses at the trial were:

Manoj Vitt Pate, the store owner, who said he was confronted by two black men wearing masks who demanded money. He said he was assaulted and needed medical attention. He was flown from the scene by medical helicopter to the Geisinger Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre.

A woman who was standing across the street from the store at the time of the robbery testified of seeing two men leaving the store wearing dark clothing and masks and described them as “younger men” in their 20s.

A nearby resident provided video from his surveillance cameras at his home depicting the two men in question going into the store and leaving about three minutes later.

Also testifying were retired state trooper James Surmick, the lead prosecutor. He testified that he was present when Hazleton police made a vehicle stop and took Edwards into custody. Edwards was a back-seat passenger in the vehicle. A left-handed black glove and a pair of ski-type goggles were found in the area where Edwards was seated.

Cpl. Brian Silliman, who was part of the criminal investigation unit at the Hazleton barracks at the time who helped gather evidence, said the gun used in the incident was found outside the store. It was an air pistol that fires pellets. A black right-handed glove was also found at the scene.

The two gloves, the gun and goggles were submitted to the state police crime lab for DNA analysis.

Lauren Force, a forensic scientist for the state police who handled the analysis of the items testified.

She said she could not determine DNA from the goggles or gun, but said she was able to find sufficient DNA on the two gloves. She said one glove had the DNA of Edwards and the second of Edwards and Molina.

The trial was scheduled to resume at 1 p.m. today before Matika. The jury could begin deliberating later this afternoon.