Steven Alvin Curry, 67, of Lancaster, accused of the Dec. 12 shooting death of 43-year-old Tri-River ASAP executive director Branden Patrick Green, appeared in Gloucester General District Court last Thursday for a preliminary hearing.
At the end of the hearing, Judge Stephanie Revere certified the charges of first-degree murder and use of a firearm in connection with a felony to the grand jury. Gloucester’s next grand jury is scheduled for Monday.
The crime was alleged to have taken place at the Gloucester Tri-River ASAP office, which was located in Hayes. Two civilian witnesses, Stacy McKenney and Nisa Merritt, testified during last week’s hearing. Senior Trial Attorney Matthew G. Finley of Welch & Wright Attorneys at Law, Norfolk, is representing Curry.
McKenney, who served as Curry’s case manager, called him on Dec. 10, 2025 because she had received notice from Lancaster General District Court that he was ordered to restart the ASAP program.
“He was supposed to come to Warsaw to my office,” she said.
The purpose of the office visit was for Curry to undergo drug screening. She gave him a 9-11 a.m. window for Dec. 11 to come in for that screening. On the call, McKenney testified that Curry said he had something to take care of at that time and would not be able to come to the office then.
“He seemed angry,” said McKenney.
The Gloucester County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office then entered a video into evidence that showed a man walking into the entryway of the Gloucester ASAP office the morning of Dec. 11. He is shown pulling a gray object from his person and entering the back offices. The man returns to the entryway a few minutes later, leaves the building, reenters the building and goes back into the offices. He exits back into the entryway and leaves the building, while Merritt simultaneously enters the building.
Merritt was manager of the Gloucester ASAP office’s front desk. She typically came into work after 8:30 each morning.
“I walked in and passed the gentleman,” Merritt testified. “He had never been to the office before. I noticed him rubbing his hands.”
In the entryway, Merritt said she took notice that the door leading to the offices appeared to have been kicked in. She said the door was off its hinges and had been propped back up at an angle.
“I peered in,” said Merritt. “I saw Branden on the ground.”
She stood there for a few moments before heading out of the office. “His head was facing towards the hallway,” said Merritt. “He was white as a ghost.”
She exited the building and locked herself in her car before calling emergency services. “I gave them a description and a description of his car,” said Merritt.
Finley, Curry’s attorney, argued that there is not enough evidence to show the shooting was premeditated and his client should not be facing a charge of first-degree murder
The case will be presented to the grand jury, at which time the charges are expected to be considered by the jurors, who will decide whether to return “true” bill indictments.