Harleysville accused killer loses pre-trial court motion

NORRISTOWN >> A man accused of participating in the gunshot slaying of another man during a home invasion robbery in Norristown has lost his bid to prevent a jury from hearing statements he made to detectives during the investigation.

Montgomery County Judge William R. Carpenter ruled statements made by Brandon M. “BDubb” Thompson, accused of taking part in the April 2, 2019, gunshot slaying of Alonzo J. Anthony of Norristown, were properly obtained by authorities and can be heard by a jury when Thompson’s trial gets underway later this year.

Thompson, through his lawyer Carrie L. Allman, argued his statements to detectives on Aug. 31, 2019, should be suppressed because he was not provided proper Miranda warnings and was under the influence of drugs at the

time of the statement and “his decision to speak with detectives was not the product of a knowing, intelligent and voluntary choice.”

However, Assistant District Attorney Roderick Fancher III argued that Thompson’s statements were voluntary and that he was not coerced to give a statement.

“There was no improper action on the part of detectives,” Fancher said.

In his statements to detectives, Thompson admitted knowing Anthony but claimed he had never been inside Anthony’s residence and that although he did not remember where he was on April 2, he claimed he was not in the area of Anthony’s residence on the night of the homicide, according to a criminal complaint. Thompson also could not explain how his DNA was found on a knit hat that was found near the crime scene.

Meanwhile, Carpenter scheduled Thompson’s trial, and that of his alleged coconspirator, Rashaan Aaron “Heavy” Stevenson, to get underway on Nov. 15. The trial is slated to last about six days.

Thompson, 34, who listed addresses in the 100 block of Main Street, Harleysville, and the 300 block of James Street, Norristown, and Stevenson, 35, of the 500 block of Walnut Street, Reading, each face charges of first-, second-, and third-degree murder, conspiracy, burglary, robbery, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and possessing an instrument of crime.

Defense lawyer Michael Anthony Walker represents Stevenson.

An investigation began about 10:53 p.m. April 2 when Norristown police responded to a report of “gunshots and screaming” at an apartment in the 300 block of East Fornance Street, according to a criminal complaint. Officers found Anthony, 28, in an apartment hallway, dead from gunshot wounds.

An autopsy determined Anthony died as a result of multiple gunshots. A projectile was recovered from Anthony’s head, according to the criminal complaint filed by county Detective William Mitchell and Norristown Detective David Mazza.

A woman who resided with Anthony was present during the alleged home invasion robbery, according to detectives. The woman told detectives two masked suspects entered the apartment and fired gunshots, striking Anthony.

The alleged intruders fled from the residence with cash, marijuana and a cellphone, according to the criminal complaint.

Detectives recovered two fired and one unfired 9mm caliber cartridge casings at the scene. Detectives also collected video surveillance footage from the area of the crime scene, according to court papers.

According to the surveillance footage, within a minute of the 911 call, one suspect was observed running from East Fornance Street onto Green Valley Road along a fence line and then onto westbound Wood Street. Three minutes later, a second suspect was observed running in the same direction along the fence line and then across a parking lot to Wood Street, according to the criminal complaint.

Investigators found a black, knit hat on Green Valley Road near East Fornance Street along the fence line of the Church of God, according to the arrest affidavit.

“The black knit hat contained crude hole cuttings in the eye and mouth areas. These cuttings would allow the hat to also be used as a mask,” Mitchell and Maza alleged in the criminal complaint, adding the hat was submitted to a state police crime lab for DNA testing.

State police subsequently issued a report indicating the DNA tests linked the hat to Thompson.

“The DNA results from the cutting of the knit hat are from the mouth area where an individual would breathe, sweat and salivate,” Mitchell and Mazza alleged in the arrest affidavit.

When detectives interviewed Thompson on Aug. 31, he said he had known Anthony for about eight years and that he previously bought Percocet pills from Anthony but that he had never been inside Anthony’s residence, according to court documents.

Thompson allegedly stated although he did not remember where he was on April 2 he claimed he was not in the area of Anthony’s residence.

“Thompson denied ever owning or wearing the hat and could not explain how his DNA was on the hat,” Mitchell and Mazza alleged.

During the investigation, witnesses told detectives Thompson was a drug addict and had been using Perocet pills and PCP and that he previously obtained Percocet from Anthony, according to court papers.

“The evidence suggests that Thompson was familiar with the location of Alonzo Anthony’s residence and he previously purchased narcotics from the victim,” detectives alleged in the arrest affidavit. “Thompson further denied ever wearing the black hat or being in the area at the time of the homicide. This is refuted by the DNA evidence indicating his participation in this homicide.”

When detectives analyzed the contents of Thompson’s cellphone they uncovered numerous calls between Thompson and Stevenson, according to court papers. Stevenson’s height and weight matched the description, provided by witnesses, of the second actor involved in the home invasion and the first actor observed in surveillance footage fleeing the area, according to the criminal complaint.

Cellphone data and cell tower analysis found that Stevenson’s cellphone traveled in unison with Thompson’s cellphone during the evening hours prior to and after the alleged April 2 home invasion that resulted in Anthony’s death, according to the arrest affidavit. Detectives alleged cellular data and Google geolocation information showed Thompson and Stevenson were together prior to and leading up to the homicide and immediately after the homicide.