Kingston homicide trial continued due to ongoing mental health exam

Apr. 26—WILKES-BARRE — A Luzerne County jury trial for homicide suspect Walter Zolner III was continued due to an ongoing mental health examination.

Zolner, 32, was charged by detectives with Kingston police and the Luzerne County district attorneys office with criminal homicide in the death of Ryan Walker Padovani, 22, on May 4, 2023.

Padovani's body was found in a bedroom of his apartment at 126 E. Bennett St., Kingston.

An autopsy by forensic pathologist Dr. Charles Siebert revealed Padovani died from blunt force trauma to the head. Padovani's death as ruled a homicide by the county Coroner's office.

Zolner lived in the other half of the double block residence at 124 E. Bennett St.

Detectives suspect Zolner entered Padovani's apartment through a shared attic.

During a status conference Friday before President Judge Michael T. Vough, Zolner's attorney, Joseph Yeager, chief county public defender, said a mental health examination remains ongoing and believes a report from the psychologist will be complete in July at the earliest.

Vough granted a request by Yeager to continue Zolner's trial, which was set to begin July 15.

Vough said he will issue a new trial date at a later time.

After Padovani was found deceased, Zolner was spotted by a Wilkes-Barre police officer inside a Subaru parked near the Osterhout Free Library on South Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, on May 12, 2023.

When Zolner was apprehended, police allege he was in possession of a journal.

Detectives served a search warrant on Zolner's Subaru where, according to court records, an AR style rifle, ammunition, a crowbar with blood and a hair were recovered.

Journal entries by Zolner contained statements suggesting he was responsible for Padovani's death, according to court records.

First Assistant District Attorney Anthony Ross and Assistant District Attorney John Carroll are prosecuting.