Who Killed George Humbert? Mystery Now Spans 2 Years

His name was George Humbert Jr., but he carried the nickname "New York," according to his obituary.

He loved music and basketball, and left behind a mother, a wife, a daughter, grandchildren, brothers and sisters.

On March 5, 2011, he was found dead in his apartment on S. Sixth Street in Easton.

His death—still unsolved—was ruled a homicide, although authorities have never said how Humbert, 54, was killed.

Two years later, the case is being investigated both by Easton police and a Northampton County grand jury, District Attorney John Morganelli said Tuesday.

"It is on our radar," Morganelli said. "Sometimes we’ll take evidence to the grand jury while the police are still out on the streets during their thing."

At the time of Humbert's killing, police were looking for a silver or gray sedan spotted driving around his block on March 5.

The car carried a black man with dreadlocks and was seen circling the block -- driving along S. Sixth, Ferry and Walnut streets -- several times between 5 and 5:30 a.m.

Humbert's death was the only homicide recorded in Easton in 2011. 2012 wasn't as kind to the city, with five people dying violent deaths.

If the beating death of Andres Ruiz-Avelizapa—who died after a beating last Christmas Eve—is ruled a homicide, it will make 2012 the deadliest year in Easton in at least four decades.

Recent unsolved Easton homicides:

• Matthew Kelly, a 20-year-old Nazareth native, shot and killed in the West Ward in April 2012. His case is also before the grand jury.
• Ervin "DJ E" Holton, shot and killed on .
• Paul Murray, found shot to death on McKeen and Nesquehoning streets on the South Side on Dec. 2.
• Damien Robinson, shot to death at Eddie G's in downtown Easton on Feb. 9 of this year.