Prosecutor: Deadly pursuit of LI homeless man a rare act of 'brazenness'

A homicide suspect’s deadly pursuit of a homeless man across a busy intersection during rush hour in Medford was an act of "brazenness" rarely seen, a Suffolk prosecutor said at his arraignment on a murder indictment Thursday.

Joseph Norton, 20, chased Timothy Stark on foot across three corners of Express Drive South and Route 112 on July 20 at 3:30 p.m. before stabbing him to death with "a very long knife" through his back, lungs and into his heart, Assistant District Attorney Sheetal Shetty said.

"The brazenness of this action in broad daylight in busy traffic is unbelievable," Shetty told state Supreme Court Justice Steven Pilewski in Riverhead. "It's not something I've seen often in my 20 years doing this job. He's an absolute danger to society."

Norton, of Manorville, pleaded not guilty and was remanded by Pilewski to the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Riverhead, where he will await trial.

Shetty said Norton, whose father and girlfriend sobbed in the courtroom as the prosecutor described the violent attack, may have had a brief exchange with Stark before parking his truck under an overpass and running back to the intersection, where Stark was known to spend each day.

The alleged victim waved his arms in the air and screamed for help as he and Norton weaved through vehicles stopped at the intersection, Shetty said. Norton eventually caught up to Stark, who collapsed upon being stabbed and fell to the ground in the roadway, Shetty said.

The prosecutor said Stark "desperately tried to get away" from the 3:30 p.m. attack, which was captured on store surveillance cameras, witness cellphone videos and dashboard cameras from vehicles in traffic.

Stark, 32, who Shetty said was unarmed during the incident, was pronounced dead at NYU Langone Hospital–Suffolk in Patchogue that afternoon.

"The video in this case is abundant. It is shocking, and it is damning for this defendant," Shetty told Pilewski.

The prosecutor did not share a possible motive for the attack. She said if the two men had an exchange as Norton passed the intersection that day it lasted mere seconds, but she described his action after that as intentional, saying he "made a calculated U-turn" before parking his truck.

After the attack, Norton walked back to his vehicle as witnesses filmed him. His license plate number was captured on video police used to track him down a short time later in Yaphank.

A bloodied knife, which Shetty described as about "6 inches in length," was allegedly recovered in Norton's truck.

Defense attorney Peter Mayer IV, of Hauppauge, reserved his client’s right to make a bail argument at a later date as he waits to receive additional evidence from prosecutors.

"These allegations put forth by the prosecutor are just allegations at this point," Mayer told Pilewski. "My client is presumed innocent, and I just ask everyone to remember that."

Shetty described Stark, whose life will be celebrated at a memorial service Saturday, as a beloved member of his Medford community.

"He was undomiciled, but he was also consistent in his place in his chair at the intersection," Shetty said, adding that members of the community often provided him with food and a place to bathe and washed his clothes before he returned to his usual spot each night.

One of those community members, Michael Hammer, attended Thursday’s arraignment. Hammer was in contact from the courthouse with Stark’s parents, who moved to Florida more than a year ago. Hammer's presence representing Stark's family, whom he lived across the street from for many years, was acknowledged by prosecutors in court.

Hammer said Stark struggled with mental health issues and had an incident that took him out of his parents’ house in Medford as an adolescent and into a group home before he ended up on the streets nearby as an adult. Hammer said Stark tried living in adult group homes, but preferred life on his corner and was there by choice.

Crosses hung by Hammer and flowers left by others have stood as a memorial at the intersection since Stark's killing.

"That's my way of saying '[safe] trip to heaven,' " Hammer said before walking away, overcome with emotion.

The memorial service for Stark is scheduled for noon Saturday at Calvary Baptist Church on Horseblock Road in Medford, according to a flyer for the event shared on social media.

"A kind heart. A gentle soul. Forever in our hearts," the flyer reads.

Norton is due back in court Sept. 3.

By Grant Parpan

grant.parpan@newsday.com@GrantParpan

Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.