1 suspect in deadly home invasion in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania arrested
One of two suspects wanted in a deadly home invasion in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, has been arrested.
The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday the arrest of 41-year-old Charles Fulforth of Jenkintown. He faces several charges, including second-degree murder and robbery, in connection with the murder and home invasion on Sunday, Dec. 8.
Investigators said 25-year-old Andrew Gaudio was shot in the head during the home invasion and his 61-year-old mother, Bernadette Gaudio, was shot multiple times. She has since undergone surgery but is paralyzed as a result of the shooting.
During a press conference Thursday, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said investigators were still searching for a second suspect, 42-year-old Kelvin Roberts of Philadelphia, in connection with the deadly home invasion.
"This was a horrible crime," Steele said. "I find it very difficult not to think about what Bernadette is going through with her recovery and what happened in that bedroom, and what she saw happen to her son so we really need to get this other individual, Kelvin Roberts, into custody. He is dangerous. Anybody that would be involved in something like this needs to be behind bars."
Steele said an arrest warrant had been issued for Roberts for the murder of Andrew Gaudio.
Investigators believe Roberts is the suspect shown in the photo below released by police Sunday morning. In addition to this latest warrant, Roberts has two other warrants out for his arrest: theft by receiving stolen property in North Wales and commercial burglary in Philadelphia, Steele said.
Police responded to the home invasion at around 2:20 a.m. Sunday in the unit block of Meredith Road in the township's Wynnewood section. According to Steele, Bernadette Gaudio called the police after she had been shot multiple times. Steele said they believe the suspects got into the house through the basement.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, when a Lower Merion Township police officer arrived at the home, he pulled in front of a white Hyundai Azera that was trying to leave the scene. The officer tried to block the Hyundai's way, but the driver was able to veer out of the officer's direction and sped away.
The officer didn't yet know if this driver had been involved in the crimes committed at the home, so he didn't pursue the Hyundai any further, according to the affidavit.
However, the dash camera footage in the police vehicle caught a glimpse of the sole occupant in the white Hyundai, which is who you see in the photo above.
Police said the white Hyundai had a Pennsylvania tag but was not registered to that car. However, records showed the tag matched a vehicle to a resident on Sansom Street in Philadelphia.
Steele said search warrants were issued for the address on Samson Street. That's where a resident at the address identified the driver of the Hyundai as Kelvin Roberts.
Investigators also recovered Bernadette Gaudio's jewelry box from the Samson Street home.
"The jewelry box is key in that it shows that they were in the house, they committed a burglary, a robbery, a home invasion, and we have the evidence of that in the jewelry box," Steele said.
Police said a green 2004 Jeep Cherokee was also stolen during the home invasion but was found parked along Sansom Street on Sunday.
During a press conference Thursday, Steele said detectives met with a source who told them Roberts was criminally involved with his boss, Charles Fulforth, at Junkluggers in Willow Grove.
Surveillance video from Sansom Street shows a man fitting Fulforth's description exiting the Jeep Cherokee and going inside the Sansom Street home with Roberts.
Prosecutors said search warrants obtained for Roberts' and Fulforth's cellphones showed both at Samsom Street around midnight Sunday. At around 12:40 a.m., their phones then moved toward the scene of the home invasion in Lower Merion, where they stayed until 2:45 a.m. before traveling back to Sansom Street.
Cellphone records show both phones were contacting each other in the minutes following the home invasion and homicide. Fulforth's phone was only in contact with Roberts during this time, prosecutors said.
Authorities are still working to figure out a motive in the case.
"We can't tell you specifically right now whether this was random or targeted, that's something that we are continuing to work on and explore," Steele said.
The Montgomery County DA's office is offering a $5,000 reward for information that can lead to an arrest in this case.
If you have any information that can help with the investigation, call Lower Merion Township Police at 610-645-6231 or the Montgomery County Detectives Bureau at 610-626-5553.
