Man acquitted of homicide charges in Hatboro man's death speaks out

HATBORO, Pa. (WPVI) -- After nearly a year in prison, a former business owner in Montgomery County was acquitted last week of murder charges in the shooting death of a man amid an alleged racially charged attack.

"There was always a feeling of, 'We have a strong case.' We have the truth on our side. We have the facts on our side, and we also have the law, but you never know," said Maurice Byrd, former owner of Razor Reese's Salon and Spa in Hatboro.

"My head is still spinning, but day by day it gets better," he added.

Action News covered the June 2024 shooting that claimed the life of 37-year-old Stephen Strassburg, who lived above Byrd's business.

An investigation later found there was an ongoing dispute between the men. Police said they responded to the location three times for verbal altercations since 2022.

According to police, the day of the shooting, Byrd called 911 and reported he was being verbally assaulted by Strassburg, who was allegedly using racial slurs. Byrd also said Strassburg grabbed his shirt and looked like he was about to punch him.

That's when the 911 dispatcher reported hearing five gunshots, a pause, and then two more.

The criminal complaint in this case said Strassburg was shot three times, and after the shots were fired, Byrd said, "I just had to shoot him."

The jury found Byrd acted in self-defense when he opened fire amid the attack. He gained his freedom on Thursday, nearly 10 months later.

"Verbal is verbal, and physical is something different. Once it becomes an escalation from verbal to physical then that's when things can happen," Byrd told Action News.

Byrd describes the racial slurs allegedly unleashed by Strassburg that day as "low-hanging fruit" and says there was more at play.

"It's more than just words. There's a lot more that encompasses this situation. It's anger, it's hurt, it's loneliness, it's depression, it's emotional strain, it's family issues. This was the culmination of emotions that lasted over a three-year period," Byrd said.

Action News reached out Strassburg's family for comment on Byrd's acquittal but did not hear back. In previous comments to Action News, a relative described Strassburg as a hard-working father of one.

The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, which prosecuted the case, released the following statement:

"While we respect the jury's verdict in this case, we stand by our evidence and remain committed to seeking justice and upholding our duty to our community with fairness and diligence."

Byrd is now starting over, having lost his business and his home while incarcerated. He said he hopes to attend law school in the wake of his experience with the justice system.

"I think that I respect the verdict of the jury. I'm sorry this had to happen and the best thing to do is move forward with understanding and healing. All of us could learn from this situation because this is a situation that I really wish wouldn't have happened," Byrd said.