Police: Man agreed to pay $65K to 'take care of' business associate killed outside Pittsburgh-area shopping center
ROSTRAVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) -- A man accused of agreeing to pay someone from Philadelphia $65,000 to "take care of" his business associate who was shot and killed in the parking lot of a Westmoreland County shopping center will stand trial.
A judge held all charges for court against Keven Lam of Philadelphia after a three-hour preliminary hearing on Wednesday.
Lam is charged with homicide, first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the death of Boyke Budiarachman, who detectives said was shot by an unknown, masked person in the parking lot of Rostraver Square shopping plaza on Nov. 5 of last year.
According to the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office, detectives said Lam and Budiarachman were business associates related to a temporary staffing agency. Lam bought the company from Budiarachman in 2019 and claims Budiarachman took his employees, resulting in a loss of revenue, the district attorney's office said.
Police said Lam consulted with a contact from Philadelphia and the two allegedly agreed upon a price of $65,000 to "take care of" Budiarachman.
On the night of Nov. 5, police said Lam and Budiarachman met at a restaurant in Rostraver Township. When the two were ready to go, police said Lam called his contact to tell him they were leaving.
Lam was last seen in the parking lot, the district attorney's office said.
First responders found Budiarachman dead at the scene with gunshot wounds outside the Lowe's Home Improvement store in the shopping center.
Detectives haven't released any more information about the unknown, masked man.