Victim told police Edward C. Hill Jr., of North Wales Borough, never returned after removing shingles
A felony charge of receiving an advanced payment and failing to perform was dismissed against a North Wales roofing contractor in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Monday, after he and the victim reached a satisfactory agreement.
Edward C. Hill Jr., 37, of the 200 block of South Fourth Street, was accused of taking a $2,000 down payment for roof repairs from a 70-year-old homeowner, tearing shingles off her house, and then never returning to finish the work, according to a criminal complaint filed by North Wales Borough Police.
According to Montgomery County court records, the felony charge was dismissed under Rule 586, a Pennsylvania statute that allows certain criminal cases to be dismissed when there is a satisfaction (usually restitution paid) or an agreement between the defendant and the victim, for instance, the victim agrees to drop a case or the defendant pays some sort of restitution or repairs damages. Rule 536 is not a finding of innocence, a conviction or a withdrawal by prosecutors for lack of evidence.
A felony charge of providing a false statement to induce an agreement for home improvement services was dismissed at a preliminary hearing.
Police said the victim walked into the station on Sept. 26, 2025 to report that she hired Hill through a friend to repair her roof. According to the affidavit, Hill visited her North Wales home on Sept. 17 to evaluate the project and told her he would install new plywood and shingles.
The homeowner signed an agreement and wrote a check for about $2,000 to “Edward Hill Jr.,” stating it was payment for the shingles, plywood and materials needed for the job. The check was later cashed, police said.
Hill allegedly returned to the home unannounced on Sept. 19, removed the roof shingles, and left them piled in the backyard — but never came back to complete the work. According to police, the victim repeatedly tried to contact him, but Hill either did not respond or offered excuses.
The woman ultimately had to hire another contractor because her roof was left exposed, the complaint states.
Investigators attempted to contact Hill on Oct. 10 to obtain his version of events, but he did not respond, according to the affidavit. A summons was requested for Hill to appear at a preliminary hearing in December, and he was released on his own recognizance. Hill was arraigned in county court on the felony charge in January.
Hill was represented by public defender Pietro Joseph D'Angelo..
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
