A roadside stabbing in Medford has left a 32-year-old homeless man dead and a 20-year-old facing a murder charge, Suffolk County police say. Officers arrested Joseph Norton and charged him with second-degree murder in the killing of Timothy Stark, who was discovered along a Long Island roadway after what investigators describe as a fight. Suffolk County homicide detectives are handling the case.
According to police, Norton allegedly stabbed Stark in the back during an altercation around 3:30 p.m. Monday on Express Drive South at Route 112. Stark was later found on the south service road of the Long Island Expressway and was pronounced dead at NYU Langone Hospital-Suffolk, according to ABC7 New York.
Police say Norton took off in a vehicle after the stabbing, kicking off a brief search. Officers later located him in Yaphank and arrested him at the intersection of Yaphank Avenue and Horseblock Road, according to Daily Voice. The outlet reports Norton is from Manorville and was held overnight at the Third Precinct ahead of an arraignment in First District Court in Central Islip.
Arrest and charges
Norton, 20, is charged with murder in the second degree. Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives, assisted by Sixth Squad detectives, led the investigation that resulted in his arrest, according to ABC7 New York. Prosecutors are expected to formally review the case at arraignment. As with any criminal case, Norton is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court.
What the charge means
Under New York law, murder in the second degree is one of the most serious felony charges on the books and can carry a sentence of up to life in prison. The statute covers killings carried out with intent, as well as some deaths caused by conduct that shows a depraved indifference to human life, according to New York State law and court guidance from the New York Courts.
Investigators have not publicly discussed a possible motive, and Suffolk County police say the inquiry is ongoing. Norton is scheduled to be arraigned in Central Islip later Tuesday, according to Daily Voice.
