Posted on 06/28/2010 11:37:26 AM PDT by Palladin
Hearing cries in the home next door, a Northampton man instinctively ran to help.
It was the natural thing to do in a borough where violence is rare and people know their neighbors.
But the Good Samaritan got just past the front door at 1917 Lincoln Ave. when he was stabbed to death. Three others also were found slain in the home Saturday. A suspect, who has not been identified, is in custody.
Police have not released the names of the victims. Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said all were adults. The bodies of two men and a woman, all stabbed, were found about 4:30 p.m., Morganelli said. A fourth person, whose age and gender were not released, was found about three hours later in the basement.
(Excerpt) Read more at mcall.com ...
Thank God the Supreme Court has re-established the right to possess firearms in the home.
Too bad these folks didn't have their guns at the ready.
Any suspects? I read an article about some AZ illegals who decided to move to PA to get a sanctuary city. I wonder if its relate? /sarc
He’s white. He was involved with the daughter.
Some women have no discernment when it come to men.
wow.
I still don’t get how some women have such bad taste in men.
Anytime you see a high profile killer get arrested they are usually about to start getting love letters in bundles from the crazies.
Convicted of 3rd degree murder. Had issues with “anger management.”
And they let him out?
Michael E. Ballard was due back to the Allentown Community Corrections Center at 608-610 Hamilton Mall in downtown Allentown at 2 p.m. Saturday. He did not return.
The article states she was an ex-girlfriend.
If this SOB had been executed or locked up for life the FIRST time around; these people would still be breathing.
That pic looks like it could have come from decades ago. lol.
Talk about your stupid women! This one takes the cake. She invited a convicted knife murderer into the family home, with no regard for the safety of her father, grandfather, or children.
By the grace of God, her children were not home the day of the murderous rampage.
“Morganelli said authorities believe there was “some type of relationship” between Ballard and Merhi, who lived at the home with her father and grandfather. Ballard, who was driving Merhi’s 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix, told police attending to him at the crash scene at Route 329 and Savage Road that Merhi was his girlfriend.
“We’re still developing that,” Morganelli said.
Ballard told police that he “murdered his girlfriend and her family and then the neighbor,” according to court documents.
Gee, ya think?
So, why was he driving her car?
Instead of keeping her legs together, this one opened up for a convicted knife murderer.
Now three innocent people are dead.
What a slut!
This guy had killed before??
wow.
“Too bad these folks didn’t have their guns at the ready.”
‘Guess it’s time to call for a ban on knives.
Hey; the government gave him anger management counseling. What more do you guys want?
Merhi had two children, 12 and 10, who were not present at the time of the attack and are now with family members, Morganelli said.
Zernhelt, who lived next door, ran to the house after hearing screams coming from inside. “He was a good Samaritan looking to assist the other victims,” said Lt. Brian Tobin, commander of Troop M criminal investigations in Bethlehem.
Ballard, originally from Arkansas, received a 10 to 20 year sentence in 1992 after pleading guilty to third degree murder for killing an Allentown man, Donald C. Richard. Ballard, then 18, stabbed Richard, 56, six times and slashed his throat twice inside Richard’s apartment in the 200 block of N.12 Street before taking his wallet and car. He fled to Arkansas, where he was captured. In his possession were documents then Lehigh County District Attorney Robert Steinberg said linked Ballard to the Ku Klux Klan and its Reading office.
Court documents reveal Ballard served most of his prison sentence, first at the State Correctional Facility at Frackville, and then at Rockview near State College. It’s unclear when he was released. Morganelli said he believed it was a few months ago.
Morganelli declined to discuss a motive. A neighbor, Rebecca Germani, said there had been “prior incidents” between Ballard and Merhi’s family and that she had recently contacted Northampton police. Germani, who described Ballard as Merhi’s “former boyfriend,” said she knew Ballard had served time in prison for a previous murder.
“I don’t know how he got out. He only did 15 years prior for slashing somebody’s throat,” Germani said.
Merhi, who was divorced, worked as a medical assistant.
A Ballard relative, Vera Cody, 74, of Salisbury, said she felt “sick” after learning of the charges against him.
“They never should have let him out of prison,” Cody said.
Ballard, then 18, stayed with Cody briefly in 1991 before she told him to leave just prior to the Richard murder.
“Why did they release him from prison?” she repeated again.
Reporters Devon Lash and Pam Lehman contributed to this story.
Copyright © 2010, The Morning Call
Comments (7)Add / View comments | Discussion FAQ
one of those at 1:50 PM June 28, 2010
Wow!!! I’m very impressed with this sad news. And so far “Michael Eric Ballard” is the suspect of the quadruple homicide.... uffff...he didn’t kill one but 4.....poor people..Even in good communities crimes like these happen..........Oh well....
Paul P at 1:22 PM June 28, 2010
He should never see the light of day again. He belongs with the rest of the monkeys in prison.
Mordecai at 1:53 AM June 28, 2010
Don’t tell me this was yet another girl who was turned-on by “bad boys”. They dismiss men who respect them and treat them right, in favor of generating living soap operas with jailbirds, musicians, alcoholics, and bums.
Well according to the picture of the perp, he probably isn’t an illegal unless he is from Sweden or some other EU country!:)
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