Montour Trail stabbing victim was Pa. Liquor Control Enforcement agent
A 44-year-old man found fatally stabbed Monday afternoon along the Montour Trail in Moon was a liquor control enforcement agent with the Pennsylvania State Police.
Benjamin Brallier of Coraopolis was pronounced dead at Heritage Valley Sewickley hospital just before 4 p.m.
Brallier, who had stab wounds to his back, upper chest and hand, was off duty at the time of the stabbing, court records show.
Brallier’s wife told police that her husband, an avid jogger, often tried to complete his run before their children returned home from school.
Allegheny County Police charged Anthony Quesen, 25, with criminal homicide.
According to a report, police found Quesen about a third of a mile from the scene with cuts to his hands and blood stains on his clothes.
Quesen, who is listed as homeless on the criminal complaint against him, is in the Allegheny County Jail awaiting arraignment.
Moon police said they dispatched officers to the trail for a medical call. When those officers arrived, Brallier wasn’t breathing, and bystanders were trying to save his life.
A cell phone app Brailler shared with his wife indicated he might have been on the trail around 2:45 p.m., according to the complaint.
Police found apparent signs of struggle at the site, including a trail of blood leading to a bicycle, the complaint said.
The crime scene stretched for about 100 yards along the trail, the complaint said.
Quesen’s state identification card and other items linked to him were inside a nearby bag, which was found near the bicycle, the complaint said. Investigators said they confirmed that the bicycle belonged to Quesen.
State police troopers found Quesen shortly after 10 p.m. near a conservation area, the complaint said. His hands were cut and blood stained his sweatpants and socks.
Quesen told police that a man stabbed him on the trail and took his bag, the complaint said. He then was taken to Heritage Valley Sewickley Hospital
Police later seized Quesen’s clothing as evidence.
Officers took Quesen to county police headquarters, where he said wanted legal representation.
Quesen’s mother, Sarah Quesen, said Tuesday, ”I have nothing to say other than I’m completely heartbroken.”
State police Tuesday issued a statement saying the agency was “heartbroken” over Brallier’s death.
“With over 20 years of service, he was an exemplary officer and a devoted father and husband,” the statement said.
Liquor Enforcement Officers are employees of the state police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement who undergo training that is separate from troopers. Brallier worked as a recruitment officer.
The Montour Trail Council and the Hollow Oak Land Trust issued a joint statement in which they offered their condolences to the victim’s family and expressed thanks that an arrest has been made.
“While we recognize the seriousness of what has occurred, we want to assure our trail users and the public that we believe the Montour Trail and the trails of the Montour Woods Conservation Area remain as safe and welcoming spaces for all. The safety and well-being of our trail users have always been top priorities for both organizations.
“The Montour Trail Council remains committed to working closely with its members, local officials and community partners to continuously improve safety measures and ensure that the trail remains the vital recreational asset it has always been.”
Police are asking those with information to call 1-833-255-8477.
Justin Vellucci is a TribLive reporter covering crime and public safety in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. A longtime freelance journalist and former reporter for the Asbury Park (N.J.) Press, he worked as a general assignment reporter at the Trib from 2006 to 2009 and returned in 2022. He can be reached at jvellucci@triblive.com.
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