On Monday, March 27, District Attorney Terry Houck announced criminal homicide charges against 76-year-old William Arthur Strunk in relation to a July 2022 shooting that left one victim dead.
Strunk, of Stroudsburg, is charged with Criminal Homicide, Possession of an Instrument of Crime, and Firearm Not to be Carried without a License. On June 29, 2022 shortly before 6 p.m., Lehigh Township Police Department officers were dispatched to the 4500 block of Lower Three Mile Lane, Lehigh Township, Northampton County, for a male found deceased within the residence. Upon arrival, officers observed the victim, 67-year-old Michael Powers, deceased within the residence with multiple gunshot wounds to his body. The Northampton County Coroner completed an autopsy, which revealed the cause of death to be gunshot wounds to the chest and mouth, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.
During the autopsy, four projectiles were extracted from Powers’ body and sent to the PSP Bethlehem Regional Lab for analysis. The examination showed three of the four rounds eligible for comparison to be of the .38/.357 caliber class, and all four projectiles to be mutilated lead bullets.
Pennsylvania State Police Troop M-Bethlehem Barracks was requested to be the lead investigating agency for this matter. During the investigation, Strunk was identified as a possible suspect for Powers’ homicide.
Police executed a search warrant at Strunk’s apartment located in the 700 block of Ann Street in Stroudsburg and seized a .38 caliber handgun in addition to a box of ammunition which contained .38 caliber ammo.
The handgun was the same caliber firearm used to kill Powers, and the ammunition was of similar composition to the projectiles extracted form Powers’ body during his autopsy. Strunk was later interviewed at the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office where he told investigators he shot and killed Powers using the .38 caliber firearm located within his residence. He further stated he shot Powers four times.
“This was an exhaustive effort to investigate and track down every lead available to bring this individual to justice for the homicide of Michael Powers. Law enforcement never relented throughout the weeks of this investigation. Thank you Pennsylvania State Police, Lehigh Township Police Department, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office for your tireless efforts and absolute dedication to this investigation,” District Attorney Houck said. “Gun violence has no place in Northampton County, and anyone involved in these acts of senseless violence will suffer the highest consequences.”
“Due to the tireless and diligent investigative efforts by members of the Pennsylvania State Police Bethlehem Station Criminal Investigation Unit, we were able to have an arrest and provide a positive outcome for the victim’s family,” said Lieutenant Brian Roberts, Troop M Criminal Investigation Section Commander.
Strunk was arraigned Monday afternoon by Magistrate Hawke. Bail was denied. The investigation is ongoing.
