'Exposing Easton' on Facebook, Cheeburger and Dogs Top March News

Other big stories include the city hall move, a Larry David sighting, and a grand jury ruling.

March was an interesting month around Easton. The city began taking steps toward moving city hall, police opened an investgation into a Facebook page devoted to the alleged sex lives of young Easton women, and we had a visit from one of the creators of a classic sitcom. Here are some of this month's big stories. Easton police are investigating "Exposing Easton Hoes," a now-defunct Facebook page claiming to chronicle the sexual exploits of young women from Easton. A small hamburger chain wants to move into Easton's Pomeroy building. Cheeburger, Cheeburger, a 1950s-themed hamburger joint, will be the refurbished downtown Easton's new tenant. A Northampton County grand jury has ruled that there's not enough evidence to file homicide charges …

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Grand Jury Findings, Facebook Sex Page Top Local News

Other top headlines include Easton's new city hall groundbreaking and charges filed in Christmas Eve killing.

A Northampton County grand jury has ruled that there's not enough evidence to file homicide charges in the death of a Bethlehem man last year. The grand jury said this week that Matthew Kelly "participated voluntarily in his own death" when he tried to rob Brian Simmons.  Easton police are investigating "Exposing Easton Hoes," a now-defunct Facebook page claiming to chronicle the sexual exploits of young women from Easton. Easton police filed homicide charges in the case of a man who was beaten to death Christmas Eve on Northampton Street. Andres Ruiz-Avelizapa, 52, was beaten unconscious on Dec. 24, 2012, and never recovered. He died in January, and his death was ruled a homicide. State and city officials gathered Friday in downtown …

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Man 'Participated in His Own Death,' Grand Jury Says

A Northampton County grand jury says Brian Simmons acted in self-defense when he killed Matthew Kelly last year. No homicide charges will be filed.

One night last April, Brian Simmons drove from Bethlehem to Easton to sell drugs. The people he was meeting with planned to rob and possibly murder him. The drug deal turned into a fight, with Simmons getting stabbed and shot. He ran away from his attackers, emptying his handgun and fatally wounding Matthew Kelly, one of the three robbers. That's according to testimony given to a Northampton County grand jury, which ruled this week that there was not enough evidence to charge Simmons with criminal homicide in Kelly's death. "Matthew Kelly participated voluntarily in his own death when he decided to secret himself in darkness and attempt to ambush Brian William Simmons," the grand jury wrote in its report, which was released Friday. Kelly, …

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1 Man Tied to Drugs, Rape and Fatal Shooting

Brian Simmons -- charged in a rape case, and allegedly at the scene of a West Ward killing -- accused of selling heroin to a police source.

In the last 10 months, Brian Simmons has crossed paths with local police three times. In April, he was allegedly at the scene of a West Ward homicide, and was himself shot and stabbed.  In September, he was charged with the rape of a 15-year-old Easton girl in Glendon, although the case against him was later withdrawn. And now he's being charged with selling heroin to a confidential police source in Easton.  Simmons, 24, of 454 Ostrum St. in Fountain Hill, allegedly met with the confidential source at S. 14th and Butler streets at 3:16 p.m. Wednesday to sell the heroin, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Simmons was also allegedly at the scene of a gun battle in the West Ward that left Bethlehem resident Matthew Kelly dead last …

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DA: Charges Could Come Soon in Matthew Kelly Case

Grand jury has been investigating West Ward homicide since the spring.

Charges could be filed in the next few weeks in the case of a Bethlehem man shot and killed earlier this year in Easton.  Matthew Kelly was killed at the beginning of April, and his death went before a Northampton County grand jury a few weeks later. Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said Monday charges could be filed in the case within 30-60 days "if not sooner." He was speaking at a news conference about two more recent cases: a shootout in Bethlehem that killed a 23-year-old woman, and the death of Paul Murray on Easton's South Side on Sunday. Kelly, 20, was shot and fatally wounded April 1 in the parking lot of a West Ward church. Police believe Kelly and two women had planned to rob a man named Brian Simmons. Police…

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Police: Easton Homicide Victim Planned Robbery

Court documents say Matthew Kelly, shot to death earlier this year in Easton, planned to rob a man in parking lot where the shooting happened.

An Bethlehem man who was shot and fatally wounded in a West Ward parking lot in April had lured another man there and planned to rob him, according to published reports. The Morning Call, citing a search warrant return, said police believe Matthew Kelly and two women had planned to rob a man named Brian Simmons on the night of April 1. Police say Simmons had gone to meet with Kelly in a church parking lot at the 1100 block of Spruce Street believing he'd be taking part in a drug deal. Simmons was shot and also stabbed when the meeting turned violent, with numerous people shooting at each other. Kelly, 20, was shot and died the following day at Easton hospital. According to the Express-Times, a woman who was with Kelly that night told …

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From the Editor's Desk

A Look at Easton's Recent Homicides

Remembering those who have lost their lives to violence in Easton in the last two years.

Since we launched in November 2010, we've covered six homicides: five in the city, one in Williams Township. The most recent one was the fatal stabbing just four days ago on Ferry Street. We're taking this space today to remember those victims. Joselynn Urquia Eleven weeks into her life, Urquia was beaten to death by her father, Joseph in their apartment on Seventh Street. She died after spending two days in the hospital. Joseph Urquia was sentenced to 20-40 years in prison after pleading guilty last year to third degree murder. Kimiko Moon Moon, 43, of Easton's Highlands section, was shot in her home on Christmas Eve 2010, and died from her wounds 10 days later. Her killer, John McGlinchey III of Bucks County, pleaded guilty to the murder…

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Tom Coombe

12:21 pm on Saturday, July 7, 2012

I don't remember that shooting, Najia. When did it happen?   more ›

Four Arrested in Early Morning Drug Raids

Early morning drug raids at three West Ward houses by Easton Police and the Northampton County Drug Task Force resulted in the arrests of four suspected drug dealers.

Four suspected drug dealers were arrested in Easton's West Ward early this morning, according to reports by The Morning Call and Lehigh Valley Live. Warrant searches conducted at 912 Spruce St., 924 Spruce St. and 936 Lehigh St. resulted in the arrests of Terrance Summers, 32, and Rodney Etienne, 35, on charges of possession with intent to deliver heroin, Omar Stover, 32, for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and Raynard Lonon, 30, for possession of a small amount of marijuana. Lonon will also be charged with three counts of delivery the reports indicated. Etienne also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for possession of a small amount of marijuana, police indicated. All four are set to be arraigned before District…

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Coroner: Bethlehem Man Killed in Easton Shooting

Matthew Kelly, 20, of Bethlehem, died following a shooting Sunday in Easton.

Northampton County's coroner has identified the man who died after a shooting Sunday night in Easton's West Ward. Matthew Kelly, 20, of Bethlehem, died Sunday of a gunshot wound, Coroner Zachary Lysek said. Lysek ruled the death a homicide following an autopsy Monday morning. Kelly was one of two men shot Sunday night in the 1100 block of Spruce Street, in a church parking lot. The Express-Times says he's a 2010 graduate of Nazareth Area High School. The other man was wounded, but is expected to survive. Police have not released his name. According to WFMZ, this man was shot and also stabbed. Investigators say they are trying to determine whether Kelly and the other victim shot each other, or if other people were involved. 

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