This article was originally published on GoErie.com by Tim Hahn on July 17, 2018 

The Pennsylvania State Police charge that a Toronto man staying at a Motel 6 in Summit Township beat the motel’s manager to death during a confrontation early Tuesday morning.

The attack appears to have stemmed from an argument between the two, investigators said.

Ferenc Sarkozy, 21, was arraigned at 9 a.m. Tuesday by Summit Township District Judge Brian McGowan on charges of criminal homicide and aggravated assault in the death of Gregory Mogush, no age available, at the motel at 7455 Schultz Road sometime before state police troopers were called there on Tuesday at 12:32 a.m.

According to information in the criminal complaint, state police received a call from a person staying at the motel who reported hearing a commotion and seeing blood in the lobby. Troopers who responded found Mogush and Sarkozy in a small bathroom off the main lobby. Mogush was dead within minutes of the arrival of emergency personnel, investigators wrote in the affidavit of probable cause filed with the criminal complaint.

Troopers told Sarkozy to turn and face them and when he did the troopers saw that Sarkozy had blood splatter on his face and blood on his clothing, socks, and shoes, according to the affidavit.

Mogush was pronounced dead at the scene by Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook at 4:45 a.m. Tuesday.

Sarkozy admitted during an interview with investigators that he assaulted Mogush in the motel lobby and dragged him into the bathroom. He admitted to repeatedly punching, hitting and kicking Mogush about the body and head, and admitted to repeatedly striking him about the body and head with a flashlight, according to the affidavit.

Sarkozy stated that he was renting a room at the Motel 6. He identified the victim as a clerk of the hotel but said he did not know him otherwise, investigators wrote in the affidavit.

Investigators believe the attack occurred after Sarkozy had gone to the motel’s lobby and got into an argument with Mogush, said Lt. Todd Post, crime section commander for state police Troop E in Lawrence Park Township. There was no evidence of a robbery or a theft, he said.

Sarkozy arrived at his arraignment before McGowan wearing a white Tyvek suit supplied by state police and black socks. He slouched back and his chair, softly answering “yes” and “no” to McGowan’s questions during the arraignment.

McGowan placed Sarkozy in the Erie County Prison without bond and tentatively scheduled his preliminary hearing for July 31.

Cook said an autopsy on Mogush will be performed on Tuesday afternoon. If the death is officially ruled a homicide following the autopsy, it will be the seventh in Erie County so far this year.