MEDFORD, NY – A 20-year-old Coram man has been indicted on a second-degree murder charge in connection with the fatal stabbing of a homeless man during an alleged daytime chase through a busy Medford intersection.
Joseph Norton is accused of chasing 32-year-old Timothy Stark across Route 112 on July 20 and stabbing him in the back. Stark was pronounced dead at NYU Langone – Suffolk Hospital.
According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Norton was driving a 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche when he allegedly stopped near Stark at a traffic light, made a U-turn and parked beneath an overpass. Prosecutors say Norton then pursued Stark through heavy traffic while repeatedly attempting to stab him.
Norton allegedly forced Stark’s head toward the ground before stabbing him once in the back. He then reportedly returned to his vehicle and fled. Police arrested him shortly afterward in Yaphank and recovered a knife from beneath the driver’s seat that appeared to have blood on it.
The alleged attack was captured by surveillance cameras, dash cameras and cellphones. Stark was described as homeless and well-known to local residents.
The District Attorney’s Office did not disclose a possible motive for the killing.
Before his death, Stark was interviewed by Homeless on Long Island, a YouTube channel focused on people experiencing homelessness on Long Island. The interview, titled “Timothy Stark Homeless on Long Island,” was published on September 5, 2025. The 42-second video shows Stark speaking on camera and provides a rare publicly available image of him before the fatal attack.
Key Facts & Details
| Defendant | Joseph Norton, 20, of Coram |
| Victim | Timothy Stark, 32, a homeless man well-known to local residents |
| Incident | Fatal stabbing during an alleged daytime chase through a busy Route 112 intersection |
| Location | Route 112 in Medford, Suffolk County, New York |
| Date and time | July 20, 2026, at approximately 3:35 p.m. |
| Alleged weapon | A knife recovered beneath the driver’s seat of Norton’s vehicle |
| Arrest location | Yaphank |
| Evidence cited | Surveillance video, dash-camera footage, cellphone video and the recovered knife |
| Charge | Murder in the Second Degree, a Class A-I felony |
| Indictment arraignment | July 30, 2026, before Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski |
| Current status | Norton was remanded and remains in custody while the case proceeds |
| Next court date | September 3, 2026 |
| Maximum potential sentence | 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count |
| Defense attorney | Peter Mayer, Esq. |
| Known motive | No motive has been publicly disclosed by prosecutors |
| Legal presumption | The charges are allegations, and Norton is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court |
Norton was arraigned on the indictment July 30 before Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski, who ordered him held while the case proceeds. He is due back in court September 3 and faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison if convicted. Norton is represented by attorney Peter Mayer.
