da: 12_23_09 Ryan Starling arrested for the murder of Lawrence Stevenson on December 22, 2009 at Curren Terrace Apartments, 1011 New Hope Street, Norristown

Montgomery County, PA

P.O. Box 311, Norristown, PA 19404-0311
Courthouse Hours: 8:30a.m. to 4:15p.m.
Phone: 610-278-3000
Website: www.montcopa.org

NEWS

Montgomery County SealMONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
COURT HOUSE, NORRISTOWN, PA., BOX 311, 19404-0311
PHONE (610) 278-3090 FAX (610) 278-3095

DISTRICT ATTORNEY: RISA VETRI FERMAN

FIRST ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY: KEVIN R. STEELE 

CHIEF COUNTY DETECTIVE: OSCAR P. VANCE, JR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DECEMBER 23, 2009
 
 
 
Ryan Starling Arrested for the Murder of Lawrence Stevenson on December 22, 2009 at Curren Terrace Apartments, 1011 New Hope Street, Norristown
 
 
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Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman and Norristown Police Chief Russell J. Bono announce the arrest of Ryan STARLING for the murder of Lawrence STEVENSON. The defendant is charged with First Degree Murder, Third Degree Murder, Possession of Instrument of Crime, Firearms not to be carried without a License, Persons Not Possess a Firearm, Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
 
On Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at approximately 9:46 PM, Norristown Borough Police responded to a reported shooting at Curren Terrace Apartments, 1011 New Hope Street, Norristown Borough.  The responding officer found the victim, Lawrence STEVENSON, with apparent gunshot wounds to his torso.  The victim was transported to Montgomery Hospital for treatment of his injuries but was pronounced dead at 10:39 PM.
 
Concerned citizens who observed the shooter at the scene did their civic duty and gave responding officers a description of the shooter, who fled the area after the shooting. Norristown Police Officer ANDERSON, one of the responding officers to the scene, began checking the area surrounding Curren Terrace Apartments for individuals matching the suspect’s description, which she received by radio broadcast. Within minutes Officer ANDERSON located Ryan STARLING nearby, and the concerned citizens subsequently identified him as the person who fled the scene of the murder. However, the murder weapon was not recovered.
 
Montgomery County Detectives and Norristown Police spent the night and the morning trying to find the murder weapon. Due to the snowy and dark conditions, law enforcement officers were unsuccessful in recovering the weapon.  Due to the dangers that a handgun could pose to the community, cadets from the Montgomery County Municipal Police Academy aided in the search this morning. One of the participants, Cadet Sgt. Anthony Marano of Trappe, found the handgun investigators believe was used to kill Lawrence Stevenson.
 
Starling will be arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Francis Lawrence, Jr.  Court is located at 200 West Main Street, Norristown at 2:30 pm today.
 
     Approved for release:
 
 
 
     Risa Vetri Ferman