Brother: Man ‘died a hero’ in stabbing rampage that killed 4 in eastern Pennsylvania home

Brother: Pa. man ‘died a hero’ in stabbing rampage

NORTHAMPTON, Pa. — A 53-year-old man who rushed over to help when he heard screaming at his next-door neighbor’s house was stabbed to death as he got through the front door, and police found his body with three others, according to the victim’s brother.

David Zernhelt, 36, of Allentown, identified his older brother, Steven Zernhelt, a married father of three, as one of the victims of Saturday’s rampage in Northampton borough.

Police found the bodies of three men and a woman, each stabbed multiple times, in the brick twin house about 70 miles north of Philadelphia, according to Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli. State police have a suspect in custody but have not released his name or the names of the dead. Authorities planned to release details Sunday afternoon.

Zernhelt said Sunday that his brother heard screams from his neighbor’s house, ran over to help and was attacked.

“He got through the front door, and the suspect stabbed him to death,” Zernhelt said.

“I’ll say this about my brother: He died a hero to me because he was trying to go over there and do whatever he could to help. I love him, I always will,” he said.

Morganelli confirmed one of the victims was a neighbor who “went over to help and became a victim.”

Property tax records identify the owner of the home as Denise Merhi, who purchased it for $165,000 in January 2007. Neighbors said she lived in the home with her two children, her father and her grandfather.

Mourners embraced one another in front of the home Sunday as police continued gathering evidence. Police tape held back onlookers and reporters.

Several people milling around the street in Northampton, a town of around 9,500 people, described it as a quiet neighborhood.

“It’s so strange to have it happen here,” said Lee Danbar, 37, who grew up in the area and lives a couple of blocks away. “It was always a safe area.”

Police discovered the bodies after responding to a car crash about a half-mile from the house. The driver was covered in blood and police knew it wasn’t all from the crash, Morganelli said.

The driver’s statements led officers to the house, he said. The driver was hospitalized with injuries believed to have been suffered in the crash.

Steven Zernhelt, who hailed from a family of 10 children, worked as a heating and air conditioning instructor. He and his wife had three grown children.

“Growing up, he always tried to resolve situations,” his younger brother said. “He was the political family member of the brothers and sisters, who would always try to get everybody to get along with each other. So it wasn’t surprising that he would try to help his neighbor like that.”

Associated Press freelance photographer Steve Klaver in Northampton contributed to this report.