A second Maryland man has been charged in connection with a string of burglaries at homes left vulnerable after a massive fire tore through the 800 block of Stoverstown Road in West Manchester Township. Christian Stephen Webb, 24, of Frederick, Maryland, was charged on August 3 with four felony counts of burglary, one felony count of theft, and conspiracy to commit both burglary and theft, joining 22-year-old Damon Lee Cole Murray of Brunswick, Maryland, who was arrested in June on the same slate of charges.
According to the York Daily Record, the burglaries took place between May 15 and May 16 at homes on the same block devastated by a 3-alarm fire. Investigators recovered phone data placing Murray in the burglary area on the days in question, police said, and a homeowner discovered a broken rear window where a burglar had gained access. Items reported stolen from the homes included a handgun, a buck knife, and two guitars.
Fire Left Homes Exposed Before Break-Ins
The fire that set the stage for the burglaries broke out shortly before 10:30 a.m. on May 15, prompting a 3-alarm response and mutual aid from departments across York County, according to FOX43. The blaze caused a partial structural collapse shortly after occupants evacuated, and emergency officials temporarily closed Hanover Road and Sunnyside Road while crews battled the flames. One home on the block was destroyed outright, while fire damage made several others uninhabitable.
The American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania Disaster Action Team stepped in to help 19 displaced residents, including 11 adults and eight children, in the fire's immediate aftermath. Disaster workers also provided canteen support to roughly 50 responding firefighters. With homes empty and damaged, some neighbors later reported break-ins but told the York Daily Record they could not determine what, if anything, had been taken because of the extensive fire damage.
Pawned Guitars Led Police to the Suspects
Police said Webb and Murray pawned two guitars matching the description of instruments stolen in the burglaries at a Hagerstown, Maryland pawn shop on May 16, just a day after the fire. Investigators allegedly identified the two men in surveillance video from the pawn transaction, and the guitars’ owner later identified the pawned instruments as stolen property from one of the burglarized homes.
Murray was arrested by North Carolina authorities on June 15 and now awaits extradition to Pennsylvania to face the charges. Webb had not yet faced a judge on the charges as of the York Daily Record’s report.
Federal Agents Helped Crack the Case
The break in identifying Webb came through an unexpected source: National Park Service officers, who assisted local police by interviewing Murray's family members and eventually connected Murray's phone to Webb's phone number, according to FOX43. NPS officers obtained cell phone records and statements that connected Webb to the burglary scene, then transferred that information to West Manchester Township police.
Murray's phone allegedly contained a news article about the Stoverstown Road fires that Webb had sent him, along with Webb's contact information. Court documents cited by the station show Webb texted Murray after the fire, suggesting they burglarize the damaged homes, with the message allegedly noting the homes looked promising. Murray replied that he was interested, and then forwarded details of the break-ins to a third person, the report notes. That digital exchange forms the basis for the five conspiracy counts each man now faces, alongside four counts of felony burglary and one count of theft apiece.
During the investigation, National Park Service officers also recovered jewelry, gaming consoles, roughly 30 knives, and an additional guitar from Murray's vehicle. Murray claimed the items belonged to him, but officers suspected the property was stolen, and it remains unclear whether it is connected to victims beyond the Stoverstown Road burglaries.
What Comes Next for the Block
West Manchester Township Detective Sergeant Sean J. Conway reported in July that the department had officially closed out four burglary case files tied to the fire-damaged homes during its June-July reporting cycle. The update came in the police department's monthly administrative report to township supervisors, which also noted 480 total incidents, 9 felony arrests, and 42 misdemeanor arrests across the municipality in June.
Meanwhile, rebuilding on the block continues to move through local bureaucracy. A property owner at 870 Stoverstown Road applied for a zoning variance in July to reconstruct a fire-damaged semi-detached home, after damage exceeded 75% of its tax-assessed market value. Township code requires Zoning Hearing Board approval before nonconforming dwellings with that level of damage can be rebuilt.
Serious Charges, Steep Penalties
Under Pennsylvania law, burglary of a building adapted for overnight accommodation is graded as a first-degree felony, carrying a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in state prison and a $25,000 fine per count, regardless of whether anyone was inside at the time of entry. With four burglary counts apiece, Webb and Murray each face substantial exposure if convicted on all charges, though neither has yet been through the court process to resolve the case.
