Friday, October 31, 2014

69 News gets up-close look at abandoned hangar where Frein was caught: Old airstrip at former resort

POCONO TWP., Pa. - On Friday, investigators returned to the airpark where Frein was caught Thursday night.

We're told the resort around it was known as a honeymoon spot until the late '90's.

Now it'll have a much different reputation, going forward.

Both entrances of Birchwood Road were closed for much of the day.

The only people going around the barricades, dozens of cars filled with state troopers have been going in and out of the search area.

State troopers passing through barricades and helicopters in the air were the only thing many behind the roadblock had seen.

The 48 day search for Eric Frein ended at this old resort property, known as the Birchwood Resort.

"It was a nice place," said a homeowner in the area, Moe Zamani.

"I was surprised they catch him over there."

The 290 acre property is currently for sale.

There are numerous buildings and an airport hangar.

Jack Muehlan flew passengers here in the 70's.

"It was an active airport," added Muehlan.

"I flew in and out, there were glider rides and everything else."

US marshals caught up with Eric Frein just outside of the airport hangar.

They gave commands and the alleged cop killer that was on the run for 48 days was captured.

This is a look at the inside of the hangar after police opened the road and left the search area.

Some living around the area say generally Birchwood Road is used to shave a few minutes off the commute, or they've seen people hiking at the old resort.

Now they want to hear more about the last moments of Frein's time on the run.

"I'm glad it's over it was just disrupting life in the Poconos." said Muehlan.

"I don't believe it," added Zamani.   "I was shocked when I heard they caught him over here."

Our partner station, WPVI, is reporting that the gun suspected of being used in the ambush last month.... was found inside the hangar.

WPVI also says a journal was found, but its contents have not been disclosed.

Read more from WFMZ.com at: http://www.wfmz.com


POCONO TOWNSHIP — The old Birchwood Resort where Frein was captured Thursday night is near Tannersville, and while there was an airport at that old resort, the arrest caused some confusion at a different airport near Mount Pocono in Monroe County. 

 There’s been so much buzz about that airport hangar right around where U.S. Marshals found Eric Frein, but the word airport caused some confusion. Instead of going to the old hangar at the Birchwood resort near Tannersville, some police officers rushed to the Pocono Mountain Municipal Airport near Mount Pocono.

Aerial video taken with the help of Hi Tech Helicopters shows the actual airport hangar near Tannersville where Frein actually was found. This hangar is located at the former Birchwood resort.

New images Friday morning show police activity as investigators continued to collect evidence to make sure they didn’t miss anything last night.

Because of the confusion over airports, a number of officers ended up at the Pocono Mountains Municipal Airport by accident Thursday night. One pilot we talked with said he was just finishing his workday when things got a little chaotic.

“No guns drawn thankfully. We were worried like maybe but we didn’t know what was going on. They wanted to get into hangars and stuff and we said there was nothing going on here,” said Brett Kita, pilot with Moyer Aviation at Pocono Mountain Municipal Airport.

Staff at the Pocono Mountain Municipal Airport say they were surprised when all the cops showed up because they were already law enforcement people there who have been using the airport’s facilities during the seven-week search.

The staff got a lot of calls from national media but as we reported, Frein was actually captured near the old airport hangar at the Birchwood resort about 10 miles away.

Frein was brought before a judge Friday morning to be formally charged with murder.

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