HATBORO MAN CHARGED WITH THIRD-DEGREE MURDER, VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Upper Moreland Township Police Chief Andrew J. Block announce the arrest of Christopher Casey, 55, of Hatboro, for Third-Degree Murder and other charges related to the murder of his neighbor Robert Wallace, 62, of 303 Fitch Road. 

At 6:34 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 15, 2024, Upper Moreland Township Police responded to a 911 call by Casey for a stabbing at his residence at 301 Fitch Road in the Hatboro section of Upper Moreland Township. Responding police found Wallace about 50 feet from the residence, suffering from stab wounds. Wallace was transported to Abington Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:06 p.m. Casey was also transported to Abington Hospital and treated for a stab wound to his right thigh. 

On scene, Upper Moreland police found a large military-style knife and a cellphone on the front porch of Casey’s home. In a nearby grassy area, they found a window screen that had been removed from a window by the front door. The window was open when police arrived. 

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. 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. Police found blood both inside and outside of the residence.

On Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, Forensic Pathologist Dr. Ian Hood, with the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office, conducted an autopsy on Wallace’s body and determined that the cause of death was multiple stab wounds and manner of death was homicide.

Casey was arrested on Jan. 18, 2024, and charged with Third-Degree Murder, Voluntary Manslaughter and Possessing an Instrument of Crime. He was arraigned by Court of Common Pleas Judge Wendy Rothstein, who set bail at $1 million cash. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m., Jan. 29, 2024, before Magisterial District Judge Thomas Murt.

The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Allison M. Ruth.

CRIMINAL CHARGES, AND ANY DISCUSSION THEREOF, ARE MERELY ALLEGATIONS AND ALL DEFENDANTS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL AND UNLESS PROVEN GUILTY.