Former houseguest charged in cantor's slaying

A cantor and popular member of a Roxborough synagogue was killed by a former houseguest who broke into his East Mount Airy home Tuesday night, according to law enforcement sources and police reports.

Ronald Fischman, 54, was stabbed to death after he confronted a man who used to live in his home but had been asked to leave.

Jonathan Williams, 33, also known as William James, was charged Thursday with murder, burglary and related offenses in connection with the slaying.

Around 11:19 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a call reporting a break-in on the 200 block of East Phil Ellena Street. A witness told officers that a man had broken into a house on the block.

Inside the house, police found Fischman unresponsive on the floor in a front bedroom. He was pronounced dead about an hour later at Einstein Medical Center.

According to law enforcement sources and arrest reports, Williams and his boyfriend had once stayed at Fischman's home, but Fischman had asked both to leave.

Fischman later allowed Williams' boyfriend to return, but not Williams, the source said.

Neighbors told police that Fischman had said to call 911 if they saw him near the house.

Williams broke into the house through a basement window, the source said, and his boyfriend spotted him as he came up the basement steps. The boyfriend attempted to barricade the door with a chair.

The source said Williams broke through the glass-paneled door, grabbed a knife from the kitchen, and chased his boyfriend, who locked himself in his upstairs bedroom.

Then, the source said, Fischman came out of his own bedroom and attempted to calm Williams. At that point, police said, Williams stabbed Fischman multiple times, in the neck, shoulders and knee. Williams told police he "just took it out on Ron," the source said.

Neighbors heard Fischman's screams for help, police said, and Williams' boyfriend jumped out a window and flagged down police.

While officers were still at the scene, another witness pointed to a man on the block - Williams - and told police they had seen him fleeing Fischman's house before officers arrived, police said. The officers stopped Williams and saw that he had a cut on his hand, police said. He was taken to Einstein, and then to the homicide unit, police said.

Fischman was a well-liked member at Mishkan Shalom synagogue in Roxborough, where he had blown the shofar and read from the Torah at Rosh Hashanah services only last week, Rabbi Shawn Zevit said.

The synagogue will include him in its prayers at Yom Kippur services Friday, Zevit said. They are also planning a memorial service.

Originally from Pittsburgh, Fischman worked as an editor at a local publishing company, GGIS Publishing & Media, and had served as a cantor at a Long Island synagogue for two years. According to a LinkedIn page, he had also taught in Philadelphia public schools.

Fischman had written a book of poetry on liturgical themes that was set to be published later this month. He called it My Book of Days, a reference to the Latin poet Ovid.

"I pray that every strand of my DNA, every molecule excite itself to push me Godward," one of the poems read. "May my dreams become thoughts may my thoughts become large may the barrier between us fizzle into falsehood, that I not give and take, but share."

A divorced father of two young children, Fischman was active in the congregation's social-justice programs. He had traveled with fellow congregants to the People's Climate March in New York just weeks ago, Zevit said.

"He was one of the most compassionate people I know," the rabbi said. "He had an enormous heart."