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Background

Gay pornography actor Harlow Cuadra is currently on trial for capital murder in Luzerne County.

Investigators allege Cuadra and his partner Joseph Kerekes killed Brian Kocis in January 2007, believing Kocis was their main rival in the industry of producing pornographic movies.

Kerekes pleaded guilty in December 2008 to second-degree murder and is serving life in prison without parole.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Cuadra.

Primary Author

Edward Lewis
elewis@timesleader.com

Brian Kocis Murder

Latest Headlines

March 25, 2009

Kocis case records opened

Joseph Kerekes did a lot of talking and writing, so much that his lawyers raised concerns about it to a Luzerne County judge behind closed doors.

March 21, 2009

DA’s Kocis bill ‘very expensive’

Luzerne County prosecutors spent more than $112,317 to put Harlow Cuadra and Joseph Kerekes away for life.

March 18, 2009

Jurors: Cuadra sealed own fate

WRIGHT TWP. – If it wasn’t for a cigarette break, the Harlow Cuadra trial could have ended in a mistrial, two jurors said Tuesday, a day after the 27-year-old from Virginia was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Bryan Kocis.

March 17, 2009

Emotional lead prosecutor lauds all who aided conviction

WILKES-BARRE – Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney Michael Melnick couldn’t hide his emotion.

March 17, 2009

Cuadra gets life in prison

WILKES-BARRE – A shackled Harlow Cuadra dropped his shoulders and leaned back when a Luzerne County judge on Monday sentenced him to two consecutive life terms in prison for the brutal killing of Bryan Kocis.

March 16, 2009

Verdict: Cuadra gets life without parole

A Luzerne County jury has decided Harlow Cuadra will spend the rest of his life behind bars. The jury came to a decision of life in prison without the possibility parole.

March 16, 2009

Defense not lacking for experience

WILKES-BARRE – Two months to defend compared to 26 months to prosecute.

March 16, 2009

Cuadra may learn fate today

WILKES-BARRE – One-by-one, they walked past Harlow Cuadra without looking at him.

March 14, 2009

Trial reunites Harlow Cuadra with his family

WILKES-BARRE – An e-mail on the Web social networking site MySpace reunited Harlow Cuadra with his family after nearly five years of being separated.

March 14, 2009

Parents miss son Bryan Kocis

WILKES-BARRE – Joyce Kocis had to be helped from the witness stand after telling the Luzerne County jury about how generous her son, Bryan, was in the community.

March 13, 2009

Penalty phase for Cuadra

WILKES-BARRE - Convicted murderer Harlow Cuadra will have to wait until Monday if he will spend the rest of his life in prison or if he faces the death penalty.

March 13, 2009

Homicide case timeline

Jan. 24, 2007: Prosecutors said Bryan Kocis, 44, was killed inside his Dallas Township home that was set on fire.

March 13, 2009

Cuadra murder trial quotes

Feb. 23: The investigation centered on Harlow Cuadra and Joseph Kerekes from “the waters of the Atlantic to the sands of the Pacific” – Assistant District Attorney Michael Melnick.

March 13, 2009

Prosecutors face battle for death penalty sentence

WILKES-BARRE – Luzerne County prosecutors will return to the courtroom this morning to try to convince jurors to do something no county jury has done in more than decade: sentence a convicted killer to death.

March 13, 2009

Cuadra guilty of brutal homicide

WILKES-BARRE – Harlow Cuadra slumped in his chair when he heard the jury foreperson say “guilty,” convicting him for the brutal slaying of Bryan Kocis in January 2007.