Police: Penn Township man admits to stabbing deaths of father, aunt
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Nov. 9—A Penn Township man with a history of violence and mental health issues told authorities he awoke early Tuesday to the sound of arguing and found his "father and aunt laying in a pool of blood," according to court documents filed by police.
As he told his story shortly before 2:30 a.m., standing outside the Burrell Hill Road home, police officers noticed blood splatter near the right ear of Neal M. Hubish and more on the front of his jeans. The 41-year-old had swollen knuckles on his right hand and bruises on his hands and toes, police noted.
Inside the red brick house, officers saw the bodies of a man and woman on a hallway floor.
Both had visible injuries to their heads and faces, as well as stab wounds to their throats and torsos, according to a criminal complaint filed against Hubish, who is charged with double homicide.
Medics pronounced Arthur Hubish, 71, dead at the scene. Maria Puskarich, 76, died on the way to Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital, officials said.
Police found a camouflage-handled knife with a 5-inch blade near Puskarich's body. Blood-stained clothing and rags were found in the kitchen garbage, according to the complaint.
"We were very familiar with this individual, having been called to that home over the years to investigate numerous assaults and other incidents," police Chief John Otto said. "This individual had been through the mental health system, the legal system and probation system, but nothing seemed to take.
"It's my understanding that the two individuals over many years did everything they could to help Mr. Hubish, but, tragically, he ended up killing them both."
In an interview, police said Neal Hubish admitted to killing his father and aunt by "striking and stabbing both of them" with his hands, fists, feet and the knife found at the scene, the complaint reads. Hubish also told police he took off the clothes he wore during the incident and put them in the kitchen garbage.
Hubish, in shackles and a white jump suit, did not respond to questions as he was being led to and from his arraignment in Harrison City before District Judge Helen Kistler. He is in the county jail without bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled Nov. 23.
Over the past five years, Hubish has been charged in several criminal cases, court records show.
In February 2016, he was arrested on charges that he kept his mother captive in her home for a day after she had picked him up from the Westmoreland County Prison following his parole on three convictions. At the time, his mother told police he broke her phone, threw a bottle of pills, yelled and threatened to kill her.
He allegedly took her car keys and demanded $16,000 while continuing to talk incoherently, slam doors and walk around the house through the night, officials said. She also said Hubish refused to let her go to work the next day. She was only able to get help after she drove him to a local gas station and asked a clerk to call 911.
Hubish in 2018 was sentenced to about two years in jail for the incident.
A year later, Hubish was charged after police said he assaulted his father during an argument near his home. At the time, police said the pair began arguing and Hubish broke the mailbox, hit his father and threw him on the road. A judge ordered Hubish to undergo a mental health evaluation.
The following year, Hubish was again charged after he was accused by police of choking an officer who was taking him into custody on a mental health warrant. Police said Hubish became combative with two Jeannette police officers and squeezed one of their throats, leaving a red mark. A Taser was used on him multiple times.
