Aug. 28—WILKES-BARRE — Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas scheduled a December trial for four men charged in the fatal stabbing of Scott Edward Knox in 2024.
A possible fifth person could also face charges in Knox’s death, a prosecutor said Thursday.
Fernando Cupeles Bracero, 36, Jaime B. Knights, 65, Justice Supreme Flenory, 24, and Jary Javier Fortuna, 32, their attorneys, and First Assistant District Attorney Anthony Ross and Assistant District Attorney Julian Truskowski appeared before Lupas for a status conference on pre-trial matters stretching from wall-to-wall before the bench.
Ross informed Lupas that he plans a single trial for the four men with the possibility a fifth person could face charges in Knox’s murder. Ross further told the judge discussions remain open about potential resolutions to each of the four cases.
Attorney Frank T. McCabe, who represents Fortuna, Attorney John B. Pike, who represents Knights, Bracero’s attorney Andrew D. Bigda, and Flenory’s attorney, Sidney D. May, did not raise any issues about the exchange of discovery, meaning evidence, with prosecutors.
Lupas then addressed a petition filed by Bigda on Bracero’s behalf seeking a second preliminary hearing. In the petition, Bracero claimed he was not provided a Spanish interpreter when he waived his first preliminary hearing in November 2024.
Lupas scheduled a hearing on Bigda’s petition for Sept. 26.
Lupas scheduled trial for the four men to begin the week of Dec. 8.
Wilkes-Barre police detectives in court records allege Flenory drove Knox, 33, to an alley behind the Mofon Lounge at Academy and South River streets where he was beaten and stabbed on May 7, 2024. Video surveillance played during a previous court proceeding showed Bracero lunging at Knox, who broke free and chased by Flenory, Knights, Bracero and Fortuna.
Knox collapsed behind a house on South River Street and was transported to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township where he died shortly after arrival.
An autopsy revealed Knox died from three stab wounds.
A jailhouse phone call recorded Flenory admitting to being in the alley because Knox owed money for a drug sale that took place hours before Knox was stabbed, according to previous testimony.
Bracero, Knights, Flenory and Fortuna all face criminal homicide and criminal conspiracy charges. They remain jailed without bail.