Mother testifies in Lower Merion home invasion murder trial of 3rd defendant

A Lower Merion Township woman paralyzed in a violent home invasion recounted in court the night she was shot in her bed and her son was fatally executed as he tried to help her.

“The next thing I remember is waking up to a gun blast. Instantly, I could feel that my body was completely paralyzed,” testified 61-year-old Bernadette Gaudio on Tuesday in Montgomery County Court, according to reporting by The Mercury. 

She described how her 25-year-old son, Andrew, was gunned down on Dec. 8, 2024, as he rushed to her side inside their Meredith Road home.

Prosecutors alleged Jeremy Fuentes, 27, of the 7200 block of North 18th Street in Philadelphia, helped plan the 2:20 a.m. break-in that ended with Andrew shot in the back of the head. 

Though Fuentes was not inside the house, he is on trial under accomplice liability theories for second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit robbery and burglary, according to the report. 

Authorities say Fuentes provided information that led co-defendants Charles Edward Fulforth and Kelvin Roberts Jr. to target the wrong house while seeking firearms for an alleged gun-trafficking scheme.

A jury previously convicted Fulforth, 41, and Roberts, 42, of first-degree murder in July; both await sentencing to mandatory life terms. 

Fuentes faces charges of second-degree murder and conspiracy.

Prosecutors told jurors this week that Fuentes “shares responsibility” for the killing, while defense lawyer Matthew Quigg countered there was no agreement to commit burglary and urged jurors to find reasonable doubt.

Read more on the trial here.

Investigation revealed motive and planning

According to investigators, the three defendants had worked together at Junkluggers in Upper Moreland Township. Fuentes allegedly visited a Bucks County home on Dec. 6, 2024, and observed a gun safe and related items. Believing the elderly homeowners would be vulnerable targets, Fuentes allegedly shared the address and details with Fulforth and Roberts.

Authorities said Fulforth and Roberts went to the wrong address on Meredith Road, where they committed the fatal shooting. Surveillance footage, Ring camera evidence, and a recovered stolen Jeep Cherokee linked the suspects to a residence on Sansom Street in West Philadelphia. A jewelry box belonging to Bernadette Gaudio was recovered at the residence, police said.

Prosecutors said the group was involved in trafficking stolen firearms, ghost guns, and 3D-printed conversion devices. Though the crime involved multiple aggravating factors, including the killing of a witness and shooting of a sleeping victim, prosecutors chose not to pursue the death penalty. Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said the decision reflected mitigating evidence and the Gaudio family’s wishes.

Fuentes’ involvement in the home invasion is central to the prosecution’s case, as he is allegedly the one who provided critical information has made him an accomplice under the law, authorities said.  

The investigation was a team effort between Steele, and Lower Merion, Upper Moreland and Abington Township police departments.

The homicide investigation by the Montgomery County Detective Bureau and Lower Merion Township Police found that information allegedly provided by Fuentes to Fulforth was the impetus behind Fulforth and Roberts allegedly entering the Lower Merion home to burglarize and rob it of firearms.

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

Authorities said the home-invasion homicide occurred in the unit block of Meredith Road, in the Wynnewood section of Lower Merion Township 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 in West Philadelphia.

That vehicle led them to a home on Sansom Street and a search warrant was executed on the home. Authorities 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, investigators said.

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

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.