DA: Snydertown triple murder suspect may face death penalty
A dispute over a vehicle purchase caused Matthew J. Reed to “snap” when he shot and killed 3 people inside a Snydertown home Wednesday, according to arrest papers.
Reed confessed to murdering Susan Williams, 58, James Dicken, 59, and an unidentified 17-year-old male at 3425 Snydertown Road, Trooper Josiah Reiner, state police at Stonington, wrote in a criminal affidavit.
Northumberland County District Judge John Gembic denied Reed's request for bail at his arraignment on Thursday. The maximum sentence for his crimes would be the death penalty or life in prison, according to Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Matulewicz.
Reiner wrote in arrest papers that Reed said he “‘snapped’ and started shooting and when he was done all three victims were deceased. Reed said that he was terrified and just took the vehicle and left the scene.”
Reed faces 3 counts of homicide and one count each of robbery, illegal possession of a firearm and tampering with evidence. He is being held at Northumberland County Jail, Coal Township. A past out-of-state conviction for aggravated assault led to the illegal firearm possession charge.
According to arrest papers, Reed planned to steal a 1997 Toyota Camry from the victims and brought a gun to kill them if he needed to. Reed told police that he was working to purchase the vehicle but a dispute ensued and the victims intended to sell the vehicle to someone else, arrest papers state.
A witness said she saw Reed outside the victims’ home as they looked over the car about noon Wednesday, according to court documents. The vehicle was gone by 3 p.m. and later recovered at the Sunbury boat launch off South Front Street. Reed was apprehended about 8:15 p.m. nearby at Haven Ministry Center, a homeless shelter where he was living.
The murder scene and the shelter are separated by about 8 miles.
Investigators spoke with an acquaintance of Reed’s, according to court documents, who told police that Reed confessed to the murders. The acquaintance told police that Reed asked them to tell police they were together all day, court documents said. The individual also told police that Reed asked them to hide his gun, which they declined, according to court documents.
Reed is scheduled to appear before Gembic for his preliminary hearing June 22.
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