Second-Degree Murder Defendant In Montco Botched Burglary Has Hearing

NORRISTOWN, PA — A Montgomery County man is scheduled to appear before a lower court judge on Wednesday to determine whether there is enough evidence for him to be tried on second-degree murder charges in connection with the death of a Norristown man who died following a botched residential burglary back in January, according to court records and media reports.

Tran Milton Forbes, 41, of Norristown, is being charged with felony second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of 84-year-old Frederick Silverwood, Sr., who died after suffering head trauma at his home on Jan. 21.

According to local news reports, Forbes is suspected of breaking into the elderly man's home at the time of the head injury, although specifics regarding how exactly Silverwood was injured have not been divulged.

Silverwood reportedly died after suffering significant head trauma during the botched burglary.

Forbes is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing on Wednesday before Magisterial District Judge Margaret A. Hunsicker.

He is currently being held without bail at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, according to court records.

During a preliminary hearing, a lower court judge must determine whether enough evidence exists in a case for it to be transferred over to the trial level court, which in Pennsylvania is Common Pleas Court.

The docket sheet shows that the preliminary hearing was originally supposed to take place on July 20 but that it had since been pushed back to Wednesday of this week.

A separate court docket sheet shows that Forbes was previously held over for trial on the burglary and other charges.

In that case, Forbes was also facing felony charges of criminal trespass and aggravated assault along with misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person and simple assault.

The preliminary hearing for those charges took place in early March at Magisterial District Court and a formal arraignment followed in April at Common Pleas Court, according to court papers.

Records show that while Forbes was held over for trial on the burglary, criminal trespass and recklessly endangering another person charges, it appears the aggravated assault and simple assault counts were dismissed at the lower court level, the court record shows.

Forbes is being represented by the Montgomery County Public Defender's Office.