Murder charge for man who said he shot would-be car thief

An East Frankford man has been charged with murder after shooting a man he said tried to break into his car, police said Monday.

Brian Baur, 56, was arrested Saturday in the death of Richard Hull, 30, of Maple Shade.

At 10:19 p.m. Thursday, police said, officers responded to a report of a person with a gun on the 4500 block of Torresdale Avenue, where Baur lives. Baur said he had shot someone who tried to break into his car. Police found Hull unresponsive on the ground. He had been shot once in the back of the head and once in the back, according to a law enforcement source.

Online, family and friends of Hull, who had two young children with his girlfriend, expressed shock at his death.

"Life is too short; live like there is no tomorrow," according to a Facebook post appearing to be from Hull's girlfriend that appeared with a photo of Hull the day after he was killed. She could not be reached for comment Monday.

Baur has been charged with murder and related offenses. Court records show that in 2002, he was accused of punching and kicking his girlfriend unconscious. According to the records, the woman had a heart attack and stopped breathing at a hospital. Baur was charged with attempted murder and related offenses.

Those charges were withdrawn. Court records do not indicate why.

215-854-2961 @aubreyjwhelan