3rd arrest in deadly Lower Merion home invasion, gun trafficking ring dismantled

Another person is under arrest in connection with a home invasion and shooting that left a man dead and his mother critically injured in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania. Authorities said the investigation into the homicide also led them to uncover a gun trafficking ring and the arrest of several others involved.

Jeremy Fuentes, 26, of Philadelphia, has been charged with orchestrating the deadly home invasion homicide that happened last month in Wynnewood.

This follows the arrest of Kelvin Roberts, 42, of Philadelphia, and Charles Fulforth, 41. All were charged in the murder of 25-year-old Andrew Gaudio and the shooting of his 61-year-old mother, Bernadette Gaudio, and all were linked to a gun trafficking organization.

The murder of Andrew Gaudio

On Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, at 2:22 a.m., police responded to a reported home invasion on Meredith Road in the Wynnewood section of Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania. The homeowner, 61-year-old Bernadette Gaudio, had called 911 to report that she had been shot several times. During the call, her attackers could be heard rummaging through the home.

When police arrived, they found both Bernadette Gaudio and her son Andrew suffering from gunshot wounds. Andrew Gaudio was pronounced dead at the scene, while his mother was taken to the hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery.

Andrew Gaudio’s death was ruled a homicide. Investigators said he had been shot five times.

During an interview, Bernadette Gaudio said she was sleeping when she was awakened by a man wearing a black hoodie. The man shot her unprovoked while she was lying in bed, leaving her paralyzed. Her son Andrew then entered her room to check on her when the gunman shot and killed him before shooting Bernadette Gaudio again, according to the criminal complaint.

Despite her injuries, Bernadette Gaudio was still able to call 911 by using Siri on her cellphone. Investigators said at least two people had broken into her home, stealing a jewelry box and a video game console.

"It was a very brave move on her part because I think indications are that the individuals were still in the house at the time," Steele said during a press conference.

The arrest of Jeremy Fuentes

Officials revealed that Fuentes was the reason behind Fulforth and Roberts even entering the home to begin with.

The investigation found that Fuentes, an employee of the Willow Grove-based junk removal company Junkluggers, had met on Dec. 6, 2024, with Bucks County homeowners with a similar address as the Lower Merion home to provide them with an estimate for the removal of items, according to officials.

When Fuentes was in the home, officials said he observed a large gun safe, multiple firearms boxes, gun parts and ammunition, none of which were part of the estimate to be removed by Junkluggers.

Following the estimate, Fuentes called Fulforth and shared the information regarding the multiple firearms and related items in the home, officials said. He also told Fulforth that the homeowners were elderly.

Officials said Fuentes and Fulforth wanted to steal the firearms and use them for their gun trafficking organization, which illegally sold factory-made weapons as well as privately made ghost guns, machine gun conversion devices, and silencers using multiple 3D printers.

“This tragic murder and attempted murder was all about greed and putting guns in the hands of criminals,” Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said in a news release. “If not for Fuentes’ involvement, the robbery/burglary would not have occurred and the Gaudios would still be living their normal lives. Now Fuentes is on the hook for Andrew Gaudio’s murder and the attempted murder of Berndadette Gaudio.”

Fuentes was arrested on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, without incident by the Philadelphia Police Homicide Task Force and the Philadelphia SWAT. He is awaiting arraignment on charges of second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit burglary.

Officials said a preliminary hearing would be scheduled at the arraignment. There is no bail available for second-degree murder charge.

Kelvin Roberts identified as a suspect

After the deadly home invasion in December, detectives reviewed dashcam footage from one of the officers who responded to Bernadette Gaudio's home. The video shows the officer’s vehicle blocking the path of a white Hyundai Azera with one man inside. The vehicle evaded the patrol car and sped off.

Footage from nearby traffic cameras captured the license plate, Pennsylvania registration 24963 PD. Investigators determined the tag was fraudulent and the vehicle had been stolen.

More dashcam footage showed a green colored Jeep Cherokee leaving the driveway of the home moments later. Investigators determined the Cherokee belonged to Bernadette Gaudio and one of the suspects stole it.

Through a PennDOT records search, investigators tracked the Hyundai Azera to its owner who lived on the 5900 block of Sansom Street in Philadelphia. Detectives then went to the area and spotted the stolen green Jeep Cherokee parked on the street a block away from the home.

Investigators then identified the driver of the stolen Hyundai as Kelvin Roberts after speaking with a resident in the area and showing them a surveillance photo.

Police reviewed more surveillance video showing Roberts speaking with the driver of the Jeep Cherokee along Sansom Street shortly after the deadly home invasion, according to the criminal complaint.

Investigators executed a search warrant of the Sansom Street home and recovered several items, including live rounds of ammunition, a gun cleaning kit and a cellphone, officials said. They also found the jewelry box that had been stolen during the home invasion, according to the criminal complaint.

After speaking with another resident, detectives secured an arrest warrant for Roberts on Dec. 9, 2024, charging him with murder and other related offenses. Police then met with a confidential source who revealed Roberts was criminally involved with his boss at the junk removal company Junkluggers in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, officials said. The source did not know the name of Roberts’ boss but said the man was into guns and drugs and that he and Roberts “hit” houses together.

Charles Fulforth identified as a suspect and arrested

On Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, detectives went to Junkluggers on 620 Davisville Road in Willow Grove. They spoke with 41-year-old Charles Fulforth who said he was Roberts’ boss, according to the criminal complaint. After initially telling detectives he hadn’t heard from Roberts since he last came to work the week prior, Fulforth then stated that Roberts had texted him on Dec. 8 and asked him for “help,” investigators said.

After telling detectives he didn’t know why Roberts had asked him for help and that he had deleted the text, Fulforth gave police his work number and his personal number, according to the criminal complaint.

Investigators said Fulforth matched the description the confidential source had given them as well as the man who had exited the stolen Jeep.

Investigators said an analysis of cellphone records revealed that both Roberts and Fulforth were at Gaudio’s Lower Merion home before, during and after the deadly shooting, as well as the home on Sansom Street in Philadelphia.

On Dec. 11, 2024, police obtained an arrest warrant for Fulforth, charging him with murder and other related offenses. On Dec. 12, 2024, around 10:45 a.m., Fulforth was arrested at 1610 the Fairway, an apartment complex in Jenkintown, Abington Township.

Police said Fulforth was carrying two bags with various tools, gun parts and ammunition at the time of the arrest. Investigators also found a loaded 9 mm ghost gun with a Taurus slide, two silencers, a black balaclava mask, a 3D printer used to manufacture ghost guns, and the key to the stolen jeep inside Fulforth’s apartment, according to the criminal complaint.

Fulforth is charged with first-degree murder, robbery, burglary and other related offenses.

Texts between Fulforth and Roberts

Investigators also reviewed one of Fulforth’s phones which showed he had searched the address of Gaudio’s home in Apple maps, according to the criminal complaint. His phone also had an image taken from Bernadette Gaudio’s bedroom of a hand wearing a black rubber glove and holding a brown box, investigators said. In the picture, Andrew Gaudio is seen lying face down on the floor, according to the criminal complaint.

Fulforth’s second phone also included text messages between him and Roberts, investigators said.

In one message, sent on Dec. 7, 2024, Fulforth tells Roberts, “I got some info on this house yesterday. It was an estimate two old people with a whole lot of guns. Down city line Avenue,” according to the criminal complaint.

Another message that Roberts texted Fulforth between Dec. 8 and Dec. 9 states, “I’m trying to slide to Jamaica ASAP whatever u send me I’m gone. I need as much $ as I can get the type my crib off FBI all that s*** bro. Trying to book me 4va body s*** crazy.”

Detectives also found text messages between Fulforth and an unidentified Junklugger employee in which they discuss a house on City Line Avenue.

Wrong house targeted

Business records obtained by investigators revealed that on Dec. 6, 2024, employees at Junkluggers conducted an estimate for a junk removal job at a residence in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with an address that was similar to that of Bernadette Gaudio’s. The work was scheduled to be completed on Dec. 9, 2024.

During the estimate, photographs were taken of the items to be removed, which is a normal business practice for Junkluggers, investigators said.

On Dec. 16, 2024, police met with the owners of the Bucks County home who confirmed that they met with Junkluggers employees to conduct an estimate for a clean-out service in the basement of their house, officials said.

One of the homeowners owns multiple firearms that were secured in three safes. A storage rack containing firearm related items was also visible inside the basement, according to the criminal complaint.

Investigators believe Fulforth and Roberts mistakenly believed Gaudio’s home in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, was the Bucks County home with the guns inside.

“Seemingly what got lost in the translation is where the intended house was,” Steele said. “The estimate was done in Bucks County and they went to Meredith Road in Lower Merion. So, it was simply the wrong house.”

During an interview on Dec. 11, Fulforth allegedly admitted he and Roberts went to Gaudio’s home on Dec. 8 and that he stole her Jeep Cherokee. Fulforth described himself as a “gun guy” and admitted the weapon found in his possession at the time of his arrest was the gun that was used in Andrew Gaudio’s murder, according to investigators. Fulforth allegedly told detectives that it, “wasn’t supposed to end this way.”

The arrest of Kelvin Roberts

On Dec. 17, 2024, Roberts was arrested by Upper Moreland Police after he showed up to Junkluggers in Willow Grove, investigators said.

“We saw all the actions so we ran out here, saw everything. Ran in the back thinking he went towards the tracks and cops were up and down the tracks looking for him. And they got him," Adam Zipper, a witness, told NBC10.

At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of a handgun which police said did not have a registered owner, according to the criminal complaint.

“He showed up wearing all black. He had a mask type of thing around his neck. He went in and the folks, at least one of the folks there called, and we were able to get him into custody," Steele said.

While being interviewed by detectives, Roberts allegedly admitted to targeting the Lower Merion home after mistakenly believing it was the house with the guns inside that the unidentified Junkluggers employee had told him and Fulforth about.

Roberts said Fulforth was wearing a heavy ballistic vest which matched the description of one recovered by police inside Fulforth’s apartment, according to the criminal complaint.

Roberts also allegedly said Fulforth brought zip ties to restrain anyone they encountered inside the home.

Roberts claimed he was in the basement of the home and stealing bottles of alcohol from the house but denied going upstairs to the second floor, according to the criminal complaint. Roberts also claimed he saw Fulforth go up to the second floor and that he then heard gunfire upstairs, police said. Roberts claimed he heard Andrew Gaudio yell out “mom” during the gunfire, according to the criminal complaint.

Roberts said he left the home and drove around the block several times while waiting for Fulforth before driving past the responding police officers and going back to the residence on Sansom Street in Philadelphia, according to the criminal complaint.

Roberts told police that Fulforth later admitted to him that he had shot Bernadette Gaudio, according to the criminal complaint. Despite his alleged claims, officials have not yet determined which suspect pulled the trigger.  

Following the incident, another Junkluggers employee gave Roberts $200 or $300 after being instructed to do so by Fulforth, according to the criminal complaint.

Roberts told police he believed the cash was a percentage of the money they made from the sale of items that were stolen from inside the Lower Merion home.

Roberts is charged with first-degree murder, robbery, burglary and other related offenses. He will be arraigned and remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility without bail.

Gun trafficking scheme connection

After police determined that Fulforth, Roberts, and Fuentes were in charge of a gun trafficking organization, officials said an investigation was launched.

As a result, Aaron Hiller, 24; Marcus Lee Jackson, 33; Jonathan Rodriguez, 26; Corry K. Simpson, 38; and Frances Staten, 38 -- all from Philadelphia -- were arrested and charged with dozens of felonies related to gun trafficking, including felony counts of corrupt organization; dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activity; criminal use of a communications facility; illegal sale or transfer of firearms and criminal conspiracy.

Officials said the investigation into the gun trafficking organization began after the Montgomery County Detective Bureau and the Lower Merion Township Police recovered a 9mm 3D-printed ghost gun in Fulforth’s Jenkintown apartment.

The investigation confirmed that the firearm was used to fatally shoot Andrew Gaudio during the home invasion, officials said.

Detectives subsequently began investigating how Fulforth came to be in possession of the firearm. Officials said through a variety of investigative techniques, including serving search warrants on multiple locations and forensic searches of mobile phones, the investigation found that Fulforth manufactured the firearm in his firearm production facility.

Officials said detectives obtained a video showing a firearm that closely resembles the one utilized in the homicide, specifically the same make and model -- Taurus style -- being printed using one of the 3D printers found in Fulforth’s apartment.

The investigation found that this organization frequently engaged in the unlawful transfer of factory-made firearms, but the organization also produced and sold a significant portion of the group’s inventory, officials said.

It was also found that Fulforth had established a highly sophisticated, clandestine firearms production facility, where he engineered and assembled multiple types of personally manufactured firearms, including AR-pistols—all of which did not include a serial number, making them difficult for law enforcement to trace.

Officials said Fulforth was also producing machine gun conversion devices—switches—using 3D printers that were sold pre-installed in the weapons he and his co-conspirators offered to their customers to generate even greater profit.

“By illegally selling factory-made firearms and manufacturing numerous types of firearms, silencers and machine gun conversion devices, this gun trafficking organization was arming criminals, and they were further equipping criminals by 3D-printing and installing switches on the firearms they sold, transforming them into fully automatic machine guns making them exponentially more deadly,” said DA Steele. “Added to that were their 3D-printed suppressors and firearms ‘lowers’ to which they purchased receivers and other necessary parts to manufacture ghost guns—untraceable firearms with no serial number. So now we have ‘silent machine guns’ in our communities, which provides an inordinate risk to community members and law enforcement officials across Montgomery County and the Commonwealth. The danger of this type of gun trafficking organization is huge and simply unmeasurable.

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