Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele, Lower Merion Superintendent of Police Andrew Block, and Abington Police Chief Patrick Molloy announced today the arrest of Charles Fulforth, 41, of Jenkintown, in connection with a home invasion and homicide in Lower Merion on Sunday, December 8.
Fulforth is charged with Second-Degree Murder, Robbery, Burglary and related charges, the DA said.
An investigation began when Lower Merion police responded to 9 Meredith Road in Lower Merion Township at approximately 2:20am for a report of a home invasion shooting. Officers found Andrew Gaudio, 25, deceased with multiple gunshot wounds, and Bernadette Gaudio, 61, conscious and suffering from several gunshot wounds.
Bernadette was transported to a nearby hospital where she underwent emergency surgery and was able to provide a statement to detectives.
According to her statement, she was asleep when a black male entered her bedroom and simply shot her. Her son was then fatally shot when he attempted to help his mother. Bernadette believes at least two people were inside the home, one taking a jewelry box and other items from the residence.
Dashcam footage from a Lower Merion police patrol vehicle captured one of the responding officers pulling in front of a white Hyundai Azera leaving the scene of the homicide. Detectives matched the vehicle to a resident on Sansom Street in Philadelphia.
Dash camera footage also showed a green Jeep Cherokee leaving the scene, which was later determined to be owned by the victim. Detectives found the Jeep Cherokee on Sansom Street.
A resident at the Sansom residence identified the driver of the white vehicle as Kelvin Roberts, 42, of Philadelphia, and provided his phone number. On Monday, December 9, Roberts was charged with Second-Degree Murder, Robbery and related offenses, and he has not been apprehended.
A reward of $5000 for information leading to his capture was announced that day.
On Tuesday, December 10, detectives met with a source who stated that Roberts was criminally involved with his boss, described the boss as a bald, white male, at Junkluggers in Willow Grove. Detectives went to Junkluggers where they met with Charles Fulforth, who stated that he was Roberts’ immediate boss and provided his cell number.
Detectives reviewed surveillance from Sansom Street which showed a man fitting Fulforth’s description exiting the Jeep Cherokee and enter the Sansom residence with Roberts.
Search warrants were obtained for Roberts’ and Fulforth’s cell phones, which showed both of them at Samsom Street around 12:00am on Sunday, December 8. Around 12:40am their phones moved towards Lower Merion, the area of the home invasion and homicide, where they stayed until 2:45am when both phones started traveling back to Sansom Street.
The DA said these cell phone records are consistent with the surveillance recovered from Sansom Street. 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.
A Second-Degree Murder arrest warrant was obtained for Fulforth on December 11. He was located in Jenkintown last night and was apprehended this morning without incident.
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Photo: DA