In a surprising turn of events, Luzerne County prosecutors have dropped charges against Thomas “Tim” Hunter, a suspect in the 2011 murder of businessman Jonathan Balester. This unexpected decision, which prosecutors have chosen not to elaborate on, means Hunter is now free after 15 years.
The charges of criminal homicide and conspiracy to commit criminal homicide against Hunter were withdrawn without explanation, despite his recent testimony in a related case. Hunter had been scheduled for a preliminary hearing, but the case was dismissed just before it began, following numerous delays.
Frederick Balester, Jonathan’s cousin, remains charged with criminal homicide and is held without bail. His attempts to have the charges dismissed have been unsuccessful, and his trial is set for October 5.
Prosecutors Remain Silent on Reasons
Although prosecutors did not provide a verbal explanation in court, District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce issued a statement clarifying that new information had influenced their decision to drop charges against Hunter. “Even though we met the probable cause standard at the time of arrest, information uncovered by investigators since that time led to our decision to withdraw the charges against Mr. Hunter,” Sanguedolce stated, adding that more details will emerge during Frederick Balester’s trial.
The Business Dispute
The murder case is rooted in a family business dispute over Balester Optical, co-owned by both Balesters. Despite several offers, including one for $4.9 million, Jonathan Balester, the majority owner, repeatedly refused to sell. This decision allegedly led to his murder by Frederick Balester, according to police. The company was eventually sold in 2012, over a year after the murder.
Hunter’s Connection
Earlier this year, Hunter was charged with assisting in the murder, based on statements to a confidential witness claiming he used a stun gun on Jonathan Balester before Frederick allegedly stabbed him. DNA evidence from a glove at the crime scene further implicated Hunter. However, during a police interview, Hunter described a different sequence of events, acknowledging his presence at the scene but with variations from the witness’s account.
Breakthrough in the Case
The investigation took a pivotal turn in 2022 when police linked stun gun marks on Jonathan’s body to a device found at Frederick Balester’s home, paving the way for the charges against both suspects.
