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Police: 'Armed And Dangerous' Suspect Allegedly Yelled 'Die' During 8-Year-Old Boy's Fatal Stabbing

/ CBS Pittsburgh

NEW CASTLE (KDKA) -- A man, just out of jail, who is now accused of fatally stabbing his girlfriend's 8-year-old child in Lawrence County late Monday night has been arrested.

Keith Burley, 43, of Edinburg, Pennsylvania, was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals in Youngstown, Ohio, Tuesday morning. The manhunt for Burley lasted nearly 10 hours.

He was arrested just before 9 a.m. while walking down Market Street in downtown Youngstown. He reportedly identified himself to the arresting officials.

keith-burley-arrest
(Photo Credit: WKBN-TV)

Pennsylvania State Police confirm the man in question is Burley.

Around 8 a.m., New Castle Police started blocked off North Crawford Avenue as the manhunt continued. As word broke about Burley's arrest about an hour later, one of the officers on scene there yelled out the patrol car window to neighbors, saying, "They got him!" KDKA's Meghan Schiller reported from the scene.

Police say the case against Burley is an active homicide investigation, and while on the run he was considered armed and dangerous.

MUG Mark Mason email
(Photo Credit: Abdou Saada/Facebook)

Investigators tell KDKA's Meghan Schiller that the district attorney has finished drafting the criminal charges against Burley in connection with the child's stabbing. He is facing several felony counts, including criminal homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault, kidnapping, terroristic threats, reckless endangerment and unlawful restraint.

The child is identified as 8-year-old Mark Edward Mason.

Police believe Burley fatally stabbed Mason late Monday, sometime before 11 p.m., at a home on High Street in Union Township.

WATCH: Burley's Arrest --

Police tell KDKA the call came in at first as a kidnapping and "rolling domestic dispute," which means a dispute was occurring inside a vehicle between Burley and his girlfriend, 36-year-old Maram Saada. The woman had her two children inside the car with Burley.

Trp Jim Long explains, "There was an argument with something to do with the cell phones. It got physical and it went from words to physical abuse."

Police say Saada exited the vehicle at the New Castle Fire Department after being assaulted by Burley.

"The female that was involved with the domestic in New Castle City was his current girlfriend, and the two children belonged to that woman," said Tpr. James Long, of Pennsylvania State Police.

Police say Burley then drove the car with Saada's 7- and 8-year-old children back to the home on High Street and allegedly fatally stabbed Mason. Three other children witnessed the stabbing, including the boy's brother, along with a 15-year-old and another 8-year-old.

According to the criminal complaint, the surviving children told police that Burley was yelling, "Die!" during the stabbing. The other children were not injured, according to police.

Trp Long says, "He committed the murder with a knife the kids got a glimpse of it and they did the best they could get help."

State police say Mason's 7-year-old brother was able to run out of the house and to a neighbor's home. It was that neighbor who called police.

Burley managed to escape before officers arrived, and Mason was pronounced dead at the scene.

new-castle-stabbing
(Photo Credit: Meghan Schiller/KDKA)

"Anytime there's a victim that's a juvenile, it's difficult for everybody, the family, law enforcement. We don't like to come to any of these types of calls, but whenever a juvenile is involved, of course, it makes it that much more difficult," Tpr. Long said.

keith-burley-2
(Source: Pennsylvania State Police)

Burley's cousin Andre Burley finds it all hard to believe.

Burley is currently on parole from another homicide conviction and Andre says, "He was institutionalized and he just wasn't right in the head."

"He's only been out a month or two. He has done like 25 years in jail, he just recently came home. It wasn't that child's time. It wasn't worth that. I don't know what he was thinking in his head to take a child's life. I guess that's what he wanted to do to make him feel better."

Tpr. Long told KDKA that Burley just got out of jail and is on parole for other homicide charges.

There is a sense of outrage and disbelief on High Street.

"It tears you up. I don't believe it. How could anybody stab a little kid?" says Joan Stewart who lives across the street from where it happened.

She says the police lights lit up the inside of her home like daylight.

Joe Piroli was about to go to bed Monday night when flashing lights illuminated his bedroom. He said several police and fire crews were across the street at his neighbor's home.

"I was shocked to see police having their assault weapons on them, obviously I knew it must be something pretty serious," said Joe Piroli, the neighbor.

"It's just horrible, it's something I never expected to happen in this neighborhood."

Anyone with information on the case should call State Police in New Castle at 724-598-2211.

Stay with KDKA for the latest on this developing story.

First published on July 9, 2019 / 12:12 PM EDT

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