Trial underway for Union Township man charged in death of girlfriend’s 8-year-old son

UNION TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The trial is underway for the man accused in the brutal stabbing death of his girlfriend’s 8-year-old son, Mark Mason Jr., who was also known as Markie.

Keith Burley waived his right to counsel and is representing himself during trial.

On July 8, 2019, police said Burley stabbed Markie to death in a home in Union Township. He abducted Markie and his little brother Matthew after getting into an argument with their mother.

Previous Coverage >> Man suspected in stabbing death of girlfriend’s 8-year-old son

During testimony, a witness said he was upstairs in that house playing video games with his brother Thomas when he heard some commotion.

When they went downstairs, he said he saw Burley and two boys screaming and crying.

The witness said he saw Burley stab Markie when the boy tried to fight back and heard Burley yell, “die, die, die” before running out of the house to get help with Matthew and Thomas.

Burley had been released from prison just a couple of months before the stabbing. He served a 20-year sentence for murder.

A doctor with the medical examiner’s office said Markie was stabbed 127 times in the head, neck, chest, back, hands and shoulders.

This week during the trial, a judge appointed an attorney as Burley’s advisor.

Burley has been in jail since the violent attack and faces several charges, including criminal homicide.

The Lawrence County district attorney is prosecuting this case. The trial resumes on Thursday.

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