Police Seek Van in Easton Homicide

The victim of a fatal shooting in Easton Friday night has been identified as Ervin Holton, Northampton County Coroner Zach Lysek said Saturday.

Holton, 43, of the 100 block of S. Ninth Street, Easton, died of multiple gunshot wounds after being shot on W. St. Joseph Street, Lysek said.

Lysek said the homicide investigation is ongoing.

A release issued Saturday afternoon stated that Easton Police detectives are searching for a van in connection with the homicide.

The black/dark colored Honda Odyssey had traveled south on Smith Avenue and parked in the 200 block of Madison Street, police said. Two suspects then walked south on St. Johns Street to St. Joseph Street to the crime scene and returned the same way.

The vehicle fled the area possibly west on Madison Street.

The first suspect is described as a tall, thin black male wearing a hooded sweatshirt/jacket and dark clothing.

The second suspect is described as a shorter, thin black male also wearing dark clothing and possibly a hooded sweatshirt/jacket.

Police are asking anybody traveling in this area Friday between 5:30 p.m. to 5:50 p.m. who may have seen the suspects or van to contact detectives at 610-759-2200. 

Former boxing champ Larry Holmes told lehighvalleylive.com that Holton, who had been a disc jockey at Holmes' Ringside Restaurant in Easton, was a "good man" as far as he knew. He said he couldn't have foreseen why someone would have killed him.

Police say the suspects knew the victim in this case. City police are investigating along with the coroner and the Northampton County district attorney.

According to court documents, Holden pleaded guilty in 2000 to possession with intent to deliver, and in 2002, to aggravated assault and attempting to elude police and was given jail time.

Holton's killing is the fourth homicide in the city this year. The other three were:

• In April, a man named Matthew Kelly, a 20-year-old Nazareth native, was shot and killed in the West Ward. His death is still under investigation. 
• In early July, Easton resident William Thompson, 43, died after being stabbed several times on the 600 block of Ferry Street. Police have , with criminal homicide in Thompson's death.
• A few weeks after Thompson's death, West Ward resident George Jeter was shot and killed on S. 14th Street. Naheem Adams, 20, has been charged in his death.