Blood found at Rices Landing home leads to arrest in 2013 burglary
State police say they used blood evidence taken from the scene of a burglary in Rices Landing more than three years ago to connect a borough man to the break-in.
Investigators filed an arrest warrant Wednesday against Jonathon Chaz Balazick, 31, of 243 Rices Landing Road, on charges of burglary, criminal trespassing, theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief in the Oct. 9, 2013 break-in at his neighbor’s house.
Police said Balazick broke a rear window at 231 Rices Landing Road, cutting his elbow and leaving drops of blood behind in the house. Gold jewelry, money and documents worth nearly $1,000 were stolen during the burglary, police said.
He was arrested the following day and charged with a theft from the Giant Eagle grocery store in Dry Tavern. Troopers said Balazick had a deep gash on his left elbow and blood on his clothing.
A search by troopers of his mother’s Jefferson Township home found items belonging to the resident whose Rices Landing home was burglarized, police said.
Police filed theft and receiving stolen property charges against Balazick in the grocery store theft, and he pleaded guilty to both counts in February 2014.
Testing was performed last March on the blood found at the scene of the burglary in Rices Landing, and came back in August as matching Balazick, according to court documents.
Charges related to the Rices Landing burglary were filed Wednesday at the office of District Judge Glenn Bates.