District Court Judge Colleen Mancuso ruled that Kyle Brant Kresge, 46, will go to trial on criminal homicide charges in the death of a former Lansford man.

At the preliminary hearing on Friday, Mancuso heard from a witness and several law enforcement officials concerning the murder of Lawrence Purcell, 34, of Kunkletown. Purcell was shot and killed on Kresge's Effort property on Feb. 14.Purcell formerly lived at 6 Leisenring St., Lansford, where he was a victim of an assault incident on Sept. 28, 2014.Witness DeAnne Galasso, who had been cleaning Kresge's property the night before and the day of the killing with her boyfriend Travis Koehler, was present during the altercation that led to the shooting. Galasso said that they were taking a lunch break when she heard Purcell, along with two men and two women, enter the house in the late morning or early afternoon.Galasso said that she was not sure why Purcell was at the property, and that she was trying to defuse the situation when things escalated. There was some suggestion that Purcell was at the property to see Koehler, not Kresge."Kyle had said 'Get off my property,' and Larry just moved toward him," Galasso said.Galasso said Kresge fired a warning shot from a .22-caliber High Standard Sentinel revolver first. Trooper Jesse Bachman of the Hazleton barracks' forensic services unit said the bullet struck a ceiling fan and went into the attic.The next shot struck Purcell in the chest, with the bullet ending up in his left arm. Coroner Michael Sak declared the cause of death to be homicide, gunshot wound to the chest.Bachman said that during the next day's investigation of the property, the forensic services unit noticed drag marks from the living room area to the exterior door. Police said Kresge moved the body outside and covered it with a tarp.Police discovered a bullet casing inside Kresge's pocket at the scene. A bag containing several live rounds and casings was also found on the property, but these items were not deemed relevant to the case.Bachman said that Kresge's revolver contained six live rounds and three spent casings.Defense attorney Jason Leon questioned how long it would take for forensic evaluations of the revolver and gunpowder found on Kresge's clothing. Bachman said that he did not know.Assistant District Attorney Mark Matthews said a motive is not apparent at the moment."We don't have any of that information," he said.After the hearing, Leon said that the preliminary evidence seemed to indicate self-defense on Kresge's part.A trial date will be set.