Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele, Lower Merion Superintendent of Police Andrew Block and Upper Moreland Police Chief J. Scott Bendig announced today the arrest of Kelvin Roberts, 42, of Philadelphia, in connection with a home invasion and homicide in Lower Merion on Sunday, December 8.
Roberts is charged with First-Degree Murder, Robbery, Burglary and related charges for his involvement in the incident, the DA said.
His accomplice, Charles Fulforth, 41, of Jenkintown, was arrested on Thursday, December 12. At this time of his arrest, he was carrying two large bags at the time of his arrest.
“Inside these bags were two phones, an Apple watch, various tools and gun parts and .25 auto and 9 mm ammunition,” the DA said. “A search of his apartment found a loaded 9 mm ghost gun, a key and key fob for the stolen Jeep Cherokee, a black balaclava mask and a 3D printer and other necessary parts used to make a ghost gun and ammunition. A firearms and ballistics expert matched the recovered ghost gun to projectiles recovered from Andrew Gaudio’s body at the autopsy.”
A search of Fulforth’s work phone found that he had looked up “9 Meredith Road, Wynnewood, PA” in Apple Maps. On Saturday, December 14, detectives searched business records of Junkluggers which uncovered an estimate for a junk removal job done at an address similar to 9 Meredith Drive in Bucks County. During the estimate, there were several photos taken, including one of a large gun safe. Phone records between Roberts and Fulforth show them discussing a house “with a whole lot of guns. Down city line Avenue.”
During a conversation with the owners of the Bucks County residence, they confirmed meeting with Junklugger employees and indicated they owned a large safe in their basement with numerous firearm boxes.
Roberts was arrested by Upper Moreland Police Department at Junkluggers when he showed up there this morning, the DA said. At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of a 9mm semi-automatic handgun.
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 and was apprehended without incident.
Fulforth is charged with Second-Degree Murder, Robbery, Burglary and related charges, the DA said.
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Photo: DA