SUNBURY – A Selinsgrove man is headed for trial in April on homicide charges. 20-year-old Edgar Gearhart is accused of stabbing to death 46-year-old Robert Blake of Sunbury in March of last year. Blake was Gearhart’s mother’s boyfriend.
Gearhart was charged with two counts of criminal homicide, aggravated assault and other charges. Northumberland County Judge Charles Saylor scheduled the case for trial during the April court term. A plea deal was being considered earlier this month, but Gearhart’s public defender James Best and Assistant District Attorney Michael Seward both say they are ready to move forward with a trial.
Gearhart was arrested by Sunbury police for stabbing Blake in the thigh after an argument early in the morning of March 19. He is also accused of stabbing his mother, 40-year-old Amy Gearhart of Selinsgrove, but he was not charged with her stabbing. Gearhart is being held as a county inmate at SCI-Coal Township without bail.
