Man in "scream" costume kills neighbor with chainsaw and knife in Lehighton, police say

LEHIGHTON, Pa. - According to authorities, a man in a "Scream" costume killed his neighbor in Carbon County Monday, then went home and watched a movie until police arrived.

Zak Moyer, 30, is accused of going to his next-door neighbor's house around 3:30 p.m. dressed in a white ghost mask and black cloak costume, from the horror movie, "Scream," according to the paperwork.

According to the police, the surveillance footage shows him exiting his home on Carbon Street and entering the neighboring property through the back.

Authorities say that Moyer was armed with a knife and a small battery-powered chainsaw.

He attacked his neighbor, 59-year-old Edward Whitehead Jr., stabbing him in the head and causing several other wounds, police say.

The victim was rushed to St. Luke’s Hospital-Carbon where he was pronounced dead.

After attacking his neighbor, Moyer went back to his home, where he lives with his mother, and watched a movie until police arrived, the paperwork says. 

As Troopers set up a perimeter around the home, Moyer began communicating with them through written notes in a notebook, police say. Some of the notes indicated that Moyer believed the victim had committed crimes.

Neighbors were told to stay inside while police were surrounding the home, according to officials.

Moyer surrendered to police a short time later and was taken into custody, according to authorities.

He initially told police that he had gone to his neighbor's house to scare him, but then he admitted having gone there with the intent to kill him, the paperwork says.

Police say he hid the chainsaw in the attic and put the knife in a desk drawer.

Moyer is charged with one count of homicide and has been sent to Carbon County jail without bail.

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