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Christopher James Casey (Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office)
A 55-year-old man in Pennsylvania has been arrested for allegedly killing his neighbor, stabbing the 62-year-old man in what authorities said was the culmination of a nearly two-year feud over “loud snoring.”
Christopher James Casey, of Hatboro, was taken into custody on Thursday and charged with one count each of third-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, and possessing an instrument of crime in the slaying of Robert Wallace, authorities announced.
According to a news release from the Monggomery County District Attorney’s Office, officers with the Upper Moreland Township Police Department responded to a 911 call at about 6:34 p.m. on Monday regarding a stabbing at a residence in the 300 block of Fitch Road, about 15 miles north of Philadelphia. The caller who reported the stabbing identified himself as Casey, authorities said.
Once there, first responders said they located Wallace outside, about 50 feet away from the home. He appeared to have suffered multiple stab wounds. Emergency medical personnel took Wallace to Abington Hospital where he died.
Authorities also took Casey to Abington Hospital where he was treated for a stab wound on his right thigh, officials said.
Officers said they recovered a “large military-style knife” and a cellphone on the front porch of Casey’s home. Police also found a window screen that appeared to have been removed from a window by the front door of Casey’s home and tossed onto a nearby grassy area. The window with the removed screen was open when police arrived, authorities noted.
“A joint investigation by Upper Moreland Township Police and Montgomery County Detectives found that the two men were known to Upper Moreland Police due to ongoing arguments, including arguments about the defendant’s loud snoring, which the victim could hear through the shared wall of the two residences,” the release states. “In this incident, Wallace showed up at Casey’s residence while Casey was eating dinner and removed the screen from the defendant’s window, which was accessible from the porch. Following a verbal altercation between the two men, Casey used a large, military style knife to stab Wallace several times.”
Investigators found blood spatter inside and outside of Casey’s home, authorities said.
An autopsy on Wallace’s body determined his manner of death was a homicide and the cause of death was multiple stab wounds to the chest. Three days after the results of the autopsy, Casey was arrested and charged in the case.
According to court documents obtained by Philadelphia ABC affiliate WPVI, in his interview with police, Casey said that he and Wallace had been speaking for about 20 minutes through Casey’s window and by the end of the conversation, Casey allegedly said that Wallace had calmed down and even offered to give Casey money to put toward nasal surgery.
Wallace then reportedly went to the front door to shake hands with Casey, who allegedly said he unlocked the door holding his knife and stun gun.
“Casey described Wallace as being very ‘volatile’ ‘very strong,’ ‘he’s angry’ type of person,” the charging documents reportedly state. “Casey said he did not believe Wallace’s intention of ‘try to work this out’ and ‘shake hands’ and try ‘to fix this situation’ was genuine. As a result, Casey decided to ‘surprise him’ by stabbing Wallace with a knife.”
Casey appeared in county court of common pleas before Judge Wendy Rothstein for his arraignment. She set his bond at $1 million. He is scheduled to make his next court appearance on Jan. 29 before Magistrate Judge Thomas Murt.
