A Norristown Man Receives Life Imprisonment For 2019 Deadly Home Invasion

NORRISTOWN, PA — A Montgomery County man was sentenced to life in prison last week in connection with a deadly home invasion in Norristown Borough back in early January 2019.

Justin M. Mitchell, 43, of Norristown, was sentenced by Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge Wendy Demchick-Alloy to life behind bars for his role in a Jan. 23, 2019, home invasion in a Cherry Street home that ended with the death of Ralph Williams, 66, according to court records and media reports.

State court records show that the sentencing came after Mitchell was convicted of second-degree murder and other charges following a jury trial in late December.

According to records, Mitchell was also convicted on various counts of conspiracy, aggravated assault and robbery.

The Mercury newspaper of Pottstown reported that the judge also sentenced Mitchell to an additional term of 10 to 20 years in prison on top of the life term due to the fact that Mitchell was on parole for a previous third-degree murder conviction, which was related to a 1998 case in Norristown.

The paper quoted the judge as calling Mitchell "a dangerous man on the street."

According to the Mercury, Mithcell had gone with two other individuals to Williams' house back in January 2019 to rob Williams' son, and that the man was killed when he fought back against the intruders.

The paper reported that Henry Diaz-Ayala, 42, of Philadelphia, was also previously sent to life in prison after being convicted on similar charges, and that authorities continue to look for the third co-conspirator, Russell Montalvo-Fernandez, 40, also of the city.