Snorer allegedly killed neighbour after long-running feud over noisy breathing

Christopher Casey was arrested and charged with third degree murder over the death of 62-year-old Robert Wallace

Christopher Casey allegedly killed his neighbour after a long-running feud over his noisy breathing (Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office)

A man accused of snoring so loudly that it caused noise complaints has been charged with murder, after allegedly stabbing a neighbour who confronted him over it.

Christopher Casey, 55, of Hatboro, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder over the death of 62-year-old Robert Wallace.

Police responded to reports of a stabbing at around 6.30pm on Sunday 15 January. Officers found Wallace around 50 feet from his residence suffering from multiple stab wounds.

He was transferred to hospital but was later pronounced dead. Mr Casey was also taken to hospital with a stab wound to his right thigh.

A joint investigation by Upper Moreland Township Police and Montgomery County Detectives found that the two men were known to police due to ongoing arguments, including some over the defendant’s loud snoring, which the victim could hear through the shared wall of the two residences.

Christopher Casey has been charged with third-degree murder (Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office)

According to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office, on the day of the altercation, Wallace showed up at Mr Casey’s residence while he was eating dinner and removed the screen from his window, which was accessible from the porch.

Following a verbal altercation between the two men, Mr Casey allegedly used a large, military-style knife to stab Wallace several times. Police found blood both inside and outside of the residence.

Police also found the knife and a phone on the front porch of Mr Casey’s home.

Mr Casey was arrested on Thursday, after a forensic pathologist determined Wallace’s cause of death to be multiple stab wounds, and ruled that the death was homicide.

Mr Casey was charged with Third-Degree Murder, Voluntary Manslaughter and Possessing an Instrument of Crime.

He was arraigned by the Court of Common Pleas Judge Wendy Rothstein, who set bail at $1m, according to the DA’s office.

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for 29 January.