Two men sentenced for 'ambush fatal shooting'
Mar. 4—WILKES-BARRE — Two men who admitted to the ambush fatal shooting of a man on North Meade Street in Wilkes-Barre more than two years ago were sentenced to up to 30 years in state prison on Tuesday.
Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas honored plea agreements for Kadeen K. Carruth, 21, and Yuamir S. Grayson, 28, in sentencing them each to 15 to 30 years in prison on third-degree murder charges. Carruth and Grayson pled guilty to the murder charge on Feb. 21.
A third defendant in the shooting, Brianna Marie Knight, 28, pled guilty to criminal conspiracy to commit criminal homicide as Wilkes-Barre police detectives say she was the driver the night of the fatal shooting. Knight is scheduled to be sentenced April 3.
Detectives in court records say Knight drove Carruth and Grayson in a Ford Focus to North Meade Street where the two men waited for Elijah Rivers, 22, to arrive at a residence on Jan. 30, 2023.
When Rivers exited a vehicle he parked, Carruth and Grayson emerged firing multiple shots at him.
Police recovered .40-caliber and .45-caliber shell casings at the scene.
Rivers died at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township.
Carruth and Grayson opted to speak through their attorneys, Ellen M. Granahan and Demetrius (Tim) Fannick, respectively.
Granahan said Carruth plans to continue his education while in prison to be trained in heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Granahan said Carruth was extremely remorseful and accepted responsibility.
Fannick, on behalf of Grayson, said his client also accepted responsibility and saved the court money, time and additional trauma to Rivers' family by pleading guilty and avoiding a trial.
Detectives pieced together multiple surveillance videos from different locations that followed Knight driving the two men from SGS Studios on South Empire Street to North Meade Street where she parked and waited. After the shooting, Carruth and Grayson ran back to the Ford as Knight fled the scene and returned to SGS Studios where they reportedly changed their clothes.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Chester F. Dudick and Assistant District Attorney Rachel Spivak prosecuted.
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