Man wearing 'Scream' mask kills neighbor with chainsaw then watches movie, affidavit says

Police in Pennsylvania said a man wearing a mask worn in the horror movie "Scream" used a knife and a chain saw to kill his next-door neighbor and then watched a movie.

The alleged killer, identified as Zak Russel Moyer, said he was just trying to scare his neighbor, but eventually admitted he killed him instead, Pennsylvania State Police reported.

Moyer, 30, is charged with one count of criminal homicide in connection to the March 25th slaying of Edward Whitehead Jr., 59, Trooper Anthony Petroski told USA TODAY Monday.

Police said the killing took place at Whitehead's house in Lehighton Borough about 75 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

According to information from troopers and the Lehighton Borough Police Department, on the day of the slaying, officers responded to Whitehead Jr.'s home about 3:30 p.m. for a report of an assault in progress.

At the scene, police said, officers found the victim suffering from life-threatening injuries.

He was taken to a hospital where he died, troopers said.

Killer wore all black costume with a 'Scream' mask during attack

According to a criminal complaint obtained by USA TODAY, during the attack, the killer wore an all black costume with a "Scream" mask and struck the victim multiple times with a battery-operated chainsaw then stabbed him in the head with a fixed-blade knife.

The mask is worn in the 1996 film directed by Wes Craven.

Police from multiple agencies responded to the scene to search for the suspect wearing the mask and outfit, officials said. Local video footage led police to Moyer's home where they found him inside and took him into custody without incident, the affidavit reads.

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Went to neighbor's home 'for the purpose of scaring him'

In the complaint, troopers wrote Moyer believed Whitehead had murdered multiple people, so he went to Whitehead’s home armed with the weapons “for the purpose of scaring him."

Moyer, the complaint continues, told detectives he attacked Whitehead, stabbed him in the head, and then returned to home to watch a movie.

Troopers also wrote Moyer he admitted he planned to kill Whitehead Jr., told his sister he planned to do it and that after the slaying he hid the chain saw in his attic and the knife in a desk drawer at his home.

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Moyer to appear in court for preliminary hearing

Moyer remained jailed in the Carbon County Correctional Facility on Monday without bond. It was not immediatly known if he had obtained an attorney.

His preliminary hearing on the felony charge is set for Wednesday, a Carbon County District Court spokesperson said.

The case remained under investigation on Monday, Petroski said.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.