Montgomery County barbershop owner accused of shooting killing neighbor in dispute

A Montgomery County barbershop owner was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher when authorities said he shot and killed a man who lived above the shop.

Maurice Byrd was charged over the weekend in the killing of 37-year-old Stephen Strassburg outside of Razor Reese’s Salon and Spa on North York Road in Hatboro, Pennsylvania.

Hatboro police officers found Strassburg suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the parking lot next to the hair salon around 6 p.m., a joint news release from Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele and Hatboro Police Chief Mark Ruegg said. Strassburg died a short time later at the hospital.

“A joint investigation into the homicide by Montgomery County Detectives and Hatboro Police found that there was an ongoing dispute between the defendant and the victim, who lived above Razor Reese’s, which is owned by Byrd,” the DA’s office and police said. “The defendant had called 911 at 5:45 p.m. to say that he was being verbally assaulted by Strassburg. While he was on the phone, the 911 dispatcher heard five gunshots, then a pause, followed by two additional gunshots.”

“Strassburg did not have a weapon at the time of the shooting,” authorities said.

Investigators said they found evidence that seven shots were fired. They also recovered a 9mm Smith & Wesson semi-automatic handgun that is registered to Byrd, authorities said.

Byrd was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, third-degree murder and possession of a weapon. He remained jailed without bail, according to court records, which don’t list an attorney who could comment on his behalf.