KINGSTON TWP., Pa – A gay porn actor and male escort testified that Harlow Cuadra and Joseph Kerekes [pictured] considered Bryan Kocis their main rival in the gay porn production business.

Justin Hensley said he heard the two men discuss Kocis and his company, Cobra Video, while working and living with them in Virginia Beach.

“Cobra Video was one of their biggest competitors … it was in their way of becoming bigger,” Hensley testified.

Kocis, 44, was found dead inside his Midland Drive, Dallas Township, home on Jan. 24. His body was found by firefighters who responded to the home for a fire.

Luzerne County Coroner Dr. Jack Consalvo said Kocis died from a slashed throat that nearly decapitated him. Consalvo said Kocis suffered 29 stab wounds that were inflicted after he died.

Investigators allege Cuadra and Kerekes killed Kocis and set his home on fire in an attempt to disguise the murder.

More than six hours of testimony was heard during Monday’s preliminary hearing before District Judge James E. Tupper.

Cuadra and Kerekes will have to wait until Thursday when prosecutors will resume their case against the two men to determine if criminal homicide, robbery, burglary, conspiracy and arson related charges will be bound over to Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas.

Luzerne County assistant district attorneys Michael Melnick and Tim Doherty called 10 witnesses to testify and used nearly 40 pictures, some of them graphically depicting the crime scene and autopsy.

Hensley, considered the key prosecution witness in an effort to show motive for the killing, testified that Cuadra and Kerekes wanted to work with gay porn actor Sean Lockhart but couldn’t because Lockhart was under a contract with Kocis’ company.

“They (Cuadra and Kerekes) wanted Lockhart to work with them. They both wanted Lockhart in the Boybatter name,” Hensley testified.

Boybatter is the name of Cuadra and Kerekes’ Virginia Beach-based gay porn production business.

After Hensley learned Kocis was killed, Hensley said he called Cuadra because he wondered if Cuadra had anything to do with the murder.

“Harlow said he had nothing to do with it,” Hensley said upon questioning by Cuadra’s lawyers, William Ruzzo and Thomas Cometa.
At the scene of the fire

Dallas Township Fire Chief Harry Vivian said firefighters responded to Kocis’ home at 8:35 p.m. on Jan. 24. Kocis’ body was found badly burned on a couch in the living room, Vivian testified.

State police Deputy Fire Marshal Ron Jarocha said the fire began behind a leather loveseat in the living room. Jarocha also said two smoke alarms were detached from the ceilings inside the home.

“An open flame was used to ignite combustible material behind the couch,” Jarocha said.

Midland Drive resident James Mark Gilbert said he noticed a silver-colored sport utility vehicle in Kocis’ driveway while walking his dog in front of Kocis’ home at about 7:35 p.m.

Amy Zamerowski, who was visiting a friend on Midland Drive, said she saw a light-colored SUV back out of Kocis’ driveway at about 8:30 p.m., and heard an alarm coming from Kocis’ home.

Zamerowski, upon questioning by Kerekes’ lawyers, Frank Nocito and Joseph Nocito, said she didn’t see anyone inside the vehicle as it backed out of the driveway.

Investigators claim Cuadra and Kerekes rented a light-colored SUV in Virginia Beach and drove to the Wyoming Valley, where they checked into the Fox Ridge Inn in Plains Township on Jan. 23.

Robert Wagner, who identified himself as Kocis’ best friend, testified that Kocis had e-mailed him pictures of a prospective new model for Cobra Video on Jan. 22. The picture was of Cuadra. Investigators suspect the photo was sent to Kocis under a fake name.

“He told me he was meeting a new model at 7 p.m. on (Jan. 24),” Wagner testified.

Wagner described Kocis as a private person who wouldn’t answer his front door if someone unexpectedly stopped by. Wagner also testified that after Kocis died, he discovered two laptop computers, two computer towers, two camcorders and a Rolex watch were missing from the home.

Investigators wouldn’t say if the missing computers or the watch were found during two searches at Cuadra’s and Kerekes’ Virginia Beach home.