Easton Homicide Rate Highest Since 2007

Matthew Kelly.

William Thompson.

George Jeter.

Ervin Holton.

These are the names of four men who died violent deaths in Easton in 2012, the deadliest year to hit the city in the last five.

The city saw five homicides in 2007, including the notorious triple murder on 13th Street on Nov. 29.

Since then, the murder rate in Easton has fluctuated, with two violent deaths in 2008 and one in 2009. 

2010 was worse, with three homicides:

• Joe Rountree, who was shot and killed on Northampton Street. (His killer, Clinton Harris, was sentenced to six-12 years in prison.)
• Jocelyn Urquia, a tiny baby, was beaten to death by her own father, Joseph. (He pleaded guilty, got a 20-40 year prison sentence.)
• Kimiko Moon was shot to death on Christmas Eve by John McGlinchey. (He also pleaded guilty, avoiding a possible death sentence.)

And then last year saw a single homicide, the unsolved killing of George Humbert. 

So far this year, city police have idenitifed suspects in two of the four homicides: Lawrence Gaines for William Thompson's stabbing, and Naheem Adams for shooting George Jeter. 

Anyone with information on Ervin Holton's death is asked to call police at 610-250-6637 or 610-759-2200.