Teen Arrested, Charged In Stowe Township Beating Death

STOWE TOWNSHIP (KDKA)- An Allentown man has been arrested and charged with criminal homicide in the beating death of a man in Stowe Township.

Marquice Moran, 17, was arrested Wednesday at his home in Allentown. Police say a series of text messages over a stolen phone gave them the break they needed in the case.

Back on May 26, David Poole, 44, was walking home with a female friend near West Park in Stowe Township. Poole and his friend were attacked by three men and robbed.

Police say Poole was struck with an object in the head during the robbery. He ended up dying from his injuries two months later in the hospital.

The thieves stole Poole's friend's purse, as well as Poole's cell phone and $60 in cash.

"The part that's super sad to me is that, 17 years old," said Poole's sister Tina Ernst. "So not only did they take the life of a 44 year old young man with a family, they took their own life. You know, for what? For money?"

According to the criminal complaint, Moran told police that himself and two others were walking home from McDonald's when they saw Poole and the woman.

Moran said all three of them agreed to rob the victims to get some money. Moran says he took the woman's purse and cell phone. He says he witnessed one of the men with him punch Poole, and told him that he had a gun.

Moran says he used the cell phone he stole in the robbery to call and text message his girlfriend. He claimed he used the phone up until June 15, when he was shot. While in the hospital, he gave the phone to one of the other men involved, who got rid of it.

Moran has been charged with criminal homicide, robbery and receiving stolen property. So far the two men Moran had implicated have not been charged.

"I don't know how I'm supposed to feel, but I feel thankful," said Ernst. "I'm thankful. Because I need the closure."

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