BELLEFONTE — Friends and a family member of a man who was fatally stabbed last week in Lemont petitioned a Centre County commissioner Tuesday for what they called justice in the death of Tyler Struble.
More than a dozen people, wearing white T-shirts emblazoned with a photograph of Struble, and the words “Justice for Tyler Struble,” crowded into the commissioners’ meeting Tuesday morning.
Struble, 20, was killed Jan. 16 at his Lemont home in what police said was an altercation over payment for about $20 of marijuana.
Tyler Marlatt, 20, was charged with Struble’s murder, while Marlatt’s girlfriend, Fatima Ghoul, 19, was charged with felony drug and robbery counts stemming from the failed drug deal that police said led to the stabbing.
A family member, however, said Tuesday she believes others present when the stabbing occurred should also be held responsible, including Alex Exarchos, son of Commissioner Chris Exarchos.
Alex Exarchos and Sean Holton were at the home of Marlatt and Ghoul the day of the drug deal, traveled with the couple to Struble’s home and witnessed the stabbing, according to criminal complaints filed in the case.
District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller has said charges will not be filed against Exarchos or Holton, whom she called bystanders.
The group gathered before the commissioners Tuesday remained silent during the meeting, but Connie Stoner, who identified herself as Struble’s aunt, met privately with Chris Exarchos immediately after the meeting.
“He knows and I know what his son was doing there,” Stoner said when asked what she and Exarchos discussed.
“I just told him next time it could be his son,” she said.
Exarchos would not comment after the meeting. When reached by phone, Alex Exarchos said he had no comment.
“It’s not fair to crucify Chris, but the rest of it isn’t fair either,” Stoner said. “Tyler wasn’t blameless, but we need to clean up this county. I would like to see every kid that was involved charged.”
“Emotionally, I understand how anyone who has lost a family member so brutally views it as unfair that everyone at the scene does not bear responsibility, but we are bound by what the law allows us to do,” Parks Miller said Tuesday in an email.
She said knowing a crime is going to occur and being present at a crime is not, in itself, a crime in Pennsylvania. Neither is failing to aid or assist a person injured in a crime and leaving the scene.
“We charged everyone who actively participated in this terrible crime,” Parks Miller said. “If any new information would become available about any of the others indicating that they actively participated, they too would be charged.”
Matt Carroll can be reached at 231-4631
