Manorville Man Charged With Murder After Medford Stabbing
Joseph Norton, 20, allegedly stabbed a homeless man to death and fled before officers caught him in Yaphank.
A 20-year-old Manorville man was charged with second-degree murder Tuesday after Suffolk County Police said he fatally stabbed a homeless man during a confrontation along a busy Medford roadway and drove away from the scene.
The victim, Timothy Stark, 32, who had no fixed address, was stabbed in the back shortly after 3:30 p.m. Monday at Express Drive South and Route 112, Suffolk County Police said. Stark was transported to NYU Langone Hospital–Suffolk in Patchogue, where he was pronounced dead.
Suspect Joseph Norton fled in a motor vehicle after the attack, police said. Patrol officers located and arrested him a short time later at the intersection of Yaphank Avenue and Horseblock Road in Yaphank.
Prosecutors said Norton used a 6-inch switchblade during the attack, alleging he chased Stark down, slammed his head to the pavement and inflicted wounds that pierced his lung and heart. Authorities said multiple witnesses observed the attack and that investigators recovered footage from two separate dashcam videos.
Homicide Squad detectives, assisted by Sixth Squad detectives, brought the murder charge. Norton was held overnight at the Third Precinct in Bay Shore and arraigned Tuesday at Suffolk First District Court in Central Islip, where he pleaded not guilty and was remanded without bail, according to court records.
Defense attorney Peter H. Mayer entered a denial to the charge and said his client should be presumed innocent.
Motive was not publicly established as of Tuesday. Police asked anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS, use the P3 Tips mobile app or visit P3Tips.com.
The case remains under investigation by the Homicide Squad.