Two arrested in Plymouth shooting that left 3 dead, including Scranton Prep student

15-year-old Scranton Preparatory School student was among those brutally shot dead by two teenage brothers in Plymouth Saturday night, eliminated so as to not leave witnesses to a drug deal gone bad, police said. Shawn James Hamilton, 18, and Sawud Davis, 16, face three counts of criminal homicide in the deaths of 15-year-old Lisa Abaunza of Duryea and Bradley James Swartwood, 21, and Nicolas Robert Maldonado, 17, both of 401 First St., Plymouth, where the shooting occurred. Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Davis are charged with attempted homicide in the critical wounding of Nicolas’s brother Danny Maldonado II, 19, who also lived at 401 First St. Lisa had just finished her freshman year at Scranton Prep. According to arrest papers, police arrived at the three-story building at First and Orchard streets in Plymouth at 7:43 p.m. Saturday. A witness said he heard shots and saw two men run from one of the apartments. Inside, a scene of carnage greeted officers Jeffrey Fox and Anthony Gorey. One man lay in a puddle of blood in the kitchen. In the living room, a girl was facedown on a mattress on the floor, a pillow and the wall stained with blood. In the bedroom was another man with a gunshot wound to the head. Yet another victim lay beneath a window air conditioning unit — but this one was still alive. Medics tended to him at the scene and rushed him to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center for further treatment. Shortly before 10:30 p.m. Saturday, acting Luzerne County Coroner William Lisman pronounced Nicolas, Lisa and Mr. Swartwood dead from gunshot wounds. Danny Maldonado remained hospitalized Sunday in critical condition. Brandon Ginthner told investigators he dropped off Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Davis, Mr. Swartwood and one of the Maldonado brothers at the Plymouth apartment some time between 7 and 8 p.m. on Saturday. Mr. Hamilton told state police he had arranged with Mr. Swartwood, who he knew as “Wuz,” and Nicolas, who he knew as “Cannon,” to buy marijuana and sell them heroin. Mr. Hamilton said he paid Mr. Swartwood $250 for half an ounce of marijuana on the way to Plymouth. In the apartment, Mr. Davis pulled out bundles of heroin to show Mr. Swartwood. But when Nicolas reached toward the drug, Mr. Davis took a .40-caliber Smith and Wesson pistol from his waistband and shot him, Mr. Hamilton told police. Mr. Hamilton said he didn’t want to be involved, but Mr. Davis replied that he couldn’t leave any witnesses. Mr. Hamilton told police he walked into the kitchen and heard eight or 10 gunshots in quick succession. Mr. Davis grabbed some marijuana from a table, handed it to Mr. Hamilton and the brothers left the apartment together. When Mr. Ginthner picked up Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Davis shortly afterwards, he took them to the Wyoming Valley Mall where the two brothers bought new clothing and sneakers to replace theirs. The brothers, originally from North Dover Street in Philadelphia, were staying in an apartment rented by Benyell Richardson at Rear 178 E. Ridge St. in Nanticoke. After stopping at their apartment where Mr. Hamilton stashed his apparently blood-soiled sneakers and hoodie, Mr. Ginthner drove him and Mr. Davis to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Twp., where their cousin, 22-year-old Kenyatta Hughston, remained in what Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said is “seriously critical” condition on Sunday. Mr. Hughston was shot twice in the head while walking on Jay Street, Wilkes-Barre, around 12:35 p.m. Friday. The incident is still under investigation, but police believe Mr. Hughston knew the person who turned the gun on him. Police haven’t found a tie to the Plymouth shootings. “There isn’t evidence in our hands that we can say the two are connected at this point in time,” Ms. Salavantis said. “But obviously there are questions out there: one occurred maybe 24 hours before the other. We are doing everything in our power to make sure we find out what happened in Wilkes-Barre as well.” When police executed a search warrant at the Nanticoke apartment, they found the pistol used in the shootings on a mini-refrigerator next to Mr. Hamilton’s bed. They also found two pairs of bloodstained sneakers. Police arrested Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Davis in Nanticoke on Sunday and they were arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Donald Whittaker. “Why wasn’t it like this when I got shot in Nanticoke?” Mr. Hamilton wondered aloud as Judge Whittaker, Ms. Salavantis and other law enforcement officials conferred behind closed doors. Mr. Hamilton referred to an Aug. 27, 2010 incident in which he was shot in the lower leg after a scuffle for a gun with Michael Rentko. The two had been arguing over an alleged plot to rob Mr. Hamilton, identified by police at the time as a heroin dealer. Mr. Davis, who is being charged as an adult, is in a juvenile detention center, state police said. His older brother is in Luzerne County Correctional Facility without bail. Ms. Salavantis said during a press conference after the arraignment on Sunday her condolences go out to the families of the victims. “Obviously they’re all victims in this situation. Yes, they may have gone into a drug deal, but they still were individuals who should never have been murdered,” Ms. Salavantis said. “This is very emotional,” she added. “… You think of these individuals, these kids whose lives are over now, and you really can’t say anything more.” The preliminary hearing for Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Davis is scheduled for 10 a.m. July 18 in front of Judge Whittaker. State police at Wyoming and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s office were assisted by police from Plymouth, Nanticoke, Courtdale and Edwardsville. “Everybody worked around the clock, put a lot of time and energy into this, to see that we caught the suspects in the shooting,” Ms. Salavantis said. “Because it’s still an ongoing investigation, we may find out more.”