HONESDALE — A Lake Ariel man accused in the deadly September shooting at The Hideout community in Salem Township was scheduled to appear for formal arraignment Thursday at the Wayne County Courthouse, but a last-minute court filing may postpone the proceeding.

According to court records, 26-year-old Lucas Aron Gartrell faces 14 felony and misdemeanor charges, including criminal homicide, murder of a law enforcement officer, multiple counts of attempted homicide and aggravated assault, theft, and fleeing police. His arraignment was set for December 4, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in the Historic Courtroom on the third floor of the Wayne County Courthouse in Honesdale.

However, Public Defender Steven Erik Burlein filed a motion for continuance of the arraignment on Wednesday, December 3, potentially delaying the hearing.

The September 28 Shooting

Pennsylvania State Police from the Honesdale barracks say the violence unfolded on September 28, 2025, inside Gartrell’s home on Lakewood Drive in The Hideout, a gated community of approximately 3,200 homes near Lake Ariel. Troopers allege that Gartrell opened fire on his parents, Robert and Lisa Gartrell, after they came to check on him due to concerns about his mental health.

When responders arrived, police say Gartrell fired at them, fatally striking Public Safety Officer José Alberto Duran Jr., 55, of Tobyhanna. Duran, a six-year Marine Corps Reserve veteran, was pronounced dead at the scene after being shot multiple times. Robert and Lisa Gartrell were airlifted to Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton, where they were listed in stable condition following surgery.

Witnesses reported seeing Gartrell flee on a motorized bike while carrying a rifle and wearing tactical gear. PSP Sergeant Michael Felsman spotted Gartrell at The Hideout’s north gate around 4:15 p.m. and pursued him east on Avoy Road until Gartrell crashed into pine trees on Miller Road. Troopers found ammunition magazines, multiple knives, and a handgun on his person when he was taken into custody.

Charges and Court Status

The official Wayne County docket (CP-64-CR-0000278-2025) shows that Gartrell was arrested the same day and denied bail by Magisterial District Judge Bonnie L. Carney. He remains incarcerated at the Wayne County Correctional Facility.

The charges filed against him include:

• Criminal Homicide (18 § 2501 § A)
• Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer – First Degree (18 § 2507 § A)
• Two counts of Criminal Attempt – Homicide (18 § 901 § A)
• Multiple counts of Aggravated Assault (18 § 2702 §§ A1–A4)
• Assault of a Law Enforcement Officer – Firearm Discharged (18 § 2702.1 § A1)
• Theft by Unlawful Taking (18 § 3921 § A) – for allegedly taking Officer Duran’s firearm
• Flight to Avoid Apprehension (18 § 5126 § A)
• Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Police (75 § 3733 § A)
• Prohibited Offensive Weapons (18 § 908 § A) – for multiple firearms, swords, knives, and daggers

Wayne County District Attorney A.G. Howell formally filed the criminal information on October 23, 2025, advancing the case to the Court of Common Pleas.

Community and Legal Response

The deadly encounter stunned Hideout residents and the broader Wayne County community. Duran is survived by his wife Tinesha and three children. Memorial contributions can be made to The Jose Duran Memorial Fund at The Hideout POA or any Honesdale National Bank location.

Wayne County District Attorney A.G. Howell has stated his office will pursue the case “to the fullest extent of the law.” Under Pennsylvania law, first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer carries either the death penalty or mandatory life imprisonment without parole.

Gartrell remains incarcerated at the Wayne County Correctional Facility with no bail as the case continues to draw attention across the Poconos.

The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.