Suspect identified, $5,000 reward offered for information, apprehension in Main Line homicide

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele has announced a $5,000 reward for anyone with information on Philadelphia resident Kelvin Roberts Jr., the man wanted for murder, robbery and burglary in connection with a Lower Merion home invasion and homicide early Sunday morning.

According to court documents, Roberts Jr., 42, is charged with second-degree murder, two counts of felony robbery with serious bodily injury, conspiracy to commit robbery, burglary with bodily injury, and conspiracy to commit burglary. Roberts Jr. is described as a Black male, 6 feet tall, and 280 pounds, police said. He is considered armed and dangerous.

A second suspect has not been identified. Steele said there was “more than one individual” participating in the crime.

“I cannot tell you whether or not this was random or targeted. There is still a ways to go with the investigation,” Steele said. These guys have guns, so we’re concerned and concerned for everybody’s safety. We are encouraging strongly, if someone knows where this individual is to contact authorities right away.”

A 25-year-old man, identified as Andrew Roberts, was shot execution style, Steele said, and his mother, Bernadette Roberts, 61, remains in critical condition. Berndatte was able to call 911 to report the shooting, Steele said.

“I believe Andrew fought back,” Steele said, “and tried to help his mom in the circumstance.”

Steele said authorities were hopeful that Bernadette’s condition would improve in the future.

“This was a terrible homicide. There were multiple shots that are fired, including one to the head of the victim, which, to me, is execution style,” Steele said. “So we are dealing with dangerous people here and we need the public’s help.”

Authorities, including the Township of Lower Merion Police Department and the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, said the home-invasion homicide occurred in the unit block of Meredith Road, in the Wynnewood section of Lower Merion Township on Sunday at about 2:20 a.m.

According to county dispatch, a call for a “shooting” was reported at 2:22 a.m. in the area with a female calling to say she was shot.

In the wake of the shooting, police were seeking a silver or white 4-door sedan with handicapped Pennsylvania license plates, “24963” displayed at the rear of the car, police said.

Police were also searching a 2004 green Jeep Cherokee, with Pennsylvania Registration license plate number: LFS6673, which was stolen during the home-invasion and later recovered Sunday night in West Philadelphia.

That vehicle led them to a home on Sansom Street and a search warrant was executed on the home. Steele said the car had a stolen tag that was registered to a deceased individual.

“One of the items found in the Sansom Street residence was a jewelry box, which was identified by Bernadette as hers,” Steele said. “They did steal it from the home and that equates to felony murder, which is murder in a home invasion, robbery or burglary.”

Ring cameras and other home security cameras in the area aided in the investigation, especially footage showing people bringing items into the Sansom Stret home, Steele said.

“The jewelry box is key,” he said. “It shows that they were in the house, committed a burglary, a robbery, a home invasion, and we have evidence of that.”

Steele said Lower Merion Township has one of the finest police departments not just in the state, but in the country.

“They are doing a great job. They stepped up patrols and doing all kinds of things to make sure people are safe and they will continue to do that,” Steele said.

According to court documents, Roberts is currently wanted for failure to appear at a preliminary hearing on a felony shoplifting and receiving stolen property case out of North Wales Borough in October 2024. 

Roberts has an extensive criminal history dating back to 2003, including numerous felony drug dealing and illegal weapons possession convictions, per court records.