On a tragic day in Snydertown, Pennsylvania, the lives of three family members were cut short in a dispute over the sale of a car. John Paul Dicken, a 17-year-old male, was killed on June 9, 2021, alongside his mother, 58-year-old Susan Ann Williams, and his father, 59-year-old James Dicken. The three were found deceased in their home on Snydertown Road.
The investigation quickly led authorities to 23-year-old Matthew Joseph Reed, who was residing at a local homeless shelter.
According to state police, Reed had arranged to purchase a 1997 Toyota Camry from the family but became enraged when he learned they were selling it to someone else. He went to their home with a gun, intending to steal the car and prepared to kill them if necessary. An argument ensued, during which Reed said he 'snapped' and fatally shot all three individuals before fleeing in the vehicle.
Law enforcement located the stolen car at the Sunbury boat launch later that evening. Reed was subsequently arrested at the Haven Ministry Center. During his arraignment, he expressed a degree of remorse, stating, 'I'm not a horrible person. I made a mistake.' He was charged with three counts of criminal homicide, robbery of a motor vehicle, tampering with evidence, and illegal possession of a prohibited firearm. Bail was denied.
Initially facing the death penalty, Matthew Reed ultimately pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder. On April 11, 2024, he was sentenced to three concurrent life terms in prison without the possibility of parole. During the sentencing, family members of the victims shared the profound impact of the loss, with one relative describing the day of the murders as 'The Day Evil Came Through My Sister's Back Door.' The brutality of the crime was such that cremation was the only option for the victims' remains.
