SHENANDOAH - The preliminary hearing for a Mahanoy City man charged with killing another man has been continued.
State police at Frackville have charged Jarvin Malik Huggins, 18, of White Owl Manor, 5 White Owl Drive, Room 17, with the beating death of Gene M. Slavinsky, 48, inside Slavinsky's 408 W. Centre St. home in Mahanoy City on April 3.
At an April 6 arraignment, Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon, scheduled Huggins' preliminary hearing for Monday but it was continued until 9 a.m. May 3 at the Shenandoah court of Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker. Plachko was on call at the time of Huggins' arrest and arraignment, while Kilker will conduct the hearing because the crime occurred in his jurisdiction.
Huggins is charged with felony criminal homicide, burglary, robbery, aggravated assault, theft by unlawful taking and criminal trespass as well as misdemeanor offenses of theft by unlawful taking and unauthorized use of automobiles.
According to state police, Huggins killed Slavinsky in his basement and borough police found Slavinsky's body two days later, on April 5, with what appeared to be severe head injuries.
An autopsy determined Slavinsky died of blunt force head trauma and Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David Moylan ruled the death a homicide.
Fewer than 24 hours after the body was found, Huggins was arrested after he crawled through a window at White Owl Manor and tried to flee on foot.
A short time later, Huggins confessed to the crime while being interviewed at the state police station in Frackville, said Trooper Edward Lizewski, the investigating officer.
Huggins said that he went to the home about 9 a.m. April 3 and entered through a basement access door on the front porch. He went to the electrical panel box and turned the power on and off to get Slavinsky's attention.
As Slavinsky entered the basement, Huggins told police he stood under the cellar stairs and picked up a window weight. When Slavinsky looked in Huggins' direction, Huggins said he struck Slavinsky in the head.
Lizewsky said that as Slavinsky began to fall, Huggins said he struck him about five more times and then went to the first floor of the home, where he stole a laptop, a jar of rolled coins and a Washington Redskins key rope with numerous keys.
Lizewski said Huggins also admitted that he took Slavinsky's car, drove to White Owl Manor and dropped off the stolen items before returning the vehicle.
Huggins remains in Schuylkill County Prison where he is being held without bail since the time of his arraignment.