Man fatally stabbed neighbor who always taunted him about his ‘loud snoring’

A Pennsylvania man who confessed to killing his neighbor following a dispute over snoring has been sentenced to less than two years in jail.

56-year-old Christopher James Casey admitted to involuntary manslaughter in the stabbing death of his 62-year-old neighbor, Robert Wallace. The incident, which took place after a nearly two-year feud over “loud snoring,” culminated in Casey’s arrest earlier this year.

Initially charged with third-degree murder, Casey accepted a plea deal, reducing the charge to involuntary manslaughter. He expressed remorse, apologizing to Wallace’s family and describing the deadly altercation as “unfortunate” in court.

During his sentencing in Montgomery County Court, Casey received a sentence of 11.5 to 23 months in county jail, followed by three years of probation. He also pleaded guilty to possession of an instrument of crime.

James Lyons, Casey’s defense attorney, portrayed him as a good man who had been unprepared to cope with ongoing abuse and threats, which allegedly contributed to the fatal encounter.

The fatal incident occurred on January 15, when officers from the Upper Moreland Township Police Department responded to a 911 call from Casey, who reported the stabbing.

When they arrived at the scene, they found Wallace outside the residence with multiple stab wounds. He was transported to Abington Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Casey also sustained a stab wound to his thigh and was treated at the same hospital.

Police recovered a large military-style knife and a cellphone on Casey’s front porch. They also noted that a window screen had been removed from a window near Casey’s front door.

An investigation revealed that the two men had a history of arguments, including disputes over Casey’s “loud snoring,” which Wallace could hear through their shared wall.

On the night of the incident, Wallace confronted Casey by removing the screen from his window, leading to a verbal confrontation. During the altercation, Casey stabbed Wallace multiple times with the large knife. Blood spatter was discovered both inside and outside of Casey’s home.

An autopsy confirmed that Wallace died from multiple stab wounds to the chest, and his death was ruled a homicide. Casey was arrested three days later and charged with the crime.

In a police interview, Casey claimed that he and Wallace had been speaking for about 20 minutes through the window before the situation escalated.

According to Casey, Wallace was a very “volatile, strong and angry type of person.”

So, when Wallace had calmed down and even offered to give him money for nasal surgery after repeatedly taunting him about his snoring, Casey remained suspicious of his intentions, and when Wallace extended his hand to shake, Casey instead chose to “surprise” him by stabbing him multiple times with the large knife.

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