- Authorities plan to seek the death penalty against Andre Gordon Jr., who is accused of killing his stepmother, sister and mother of his children.
- Gordon allegedly killed three people in Levittown, Pennsylvania, then fled to New Jersey, where he was arrested.
- Handcuffed and shackled, Mr. Gordon was asked in court if he had anything to say, to which he replied: “Pray, pray to God.”
Pennsylvania authorities said Wednesday they plan to pursue the death penalty against a man accused of killing his stepmother, sister and mother of his children, before authorities said he fled to New Jersey in a stolen car and was arrested last month. It was announced that.
Andre Gordon Jr. committed three fatal shootings on March 16 in the Levittown section of Falls Township and two carjackings in nearby Philadelphia suburbs, authorities said. This was his first court appearance in Pennsylvania since his death.
Gordon arrived at Magistrate District Court, not far from where authorities said the shooting occurred, wearing an orange jumpsuit and shackled at the wrists and ankles.
Three Pennsylvania men sentenced to decades in prison for 1997 woman’s murder have their convictions overturned
When asked if he had anything to say, Gordon said in a low voice, “Pray, pray to God.”
At a preliminary arraignment that lasted about 10 minutes, Judge John Galloway denied bail and ordered Gordon, who appeared in court without an attorney, to have contact with his minor children and other relatives who were witnesses to the crimes he is charged with. I ordered him not to do it.
Galloway asked Gordon if he understood that this was a preliminary arraignment to read the charges against him, including three counts of first-degree murder.
“Not really,” Gordon said. The judge repeated the explanation and asked if Gordon understood. “Yes, sir,” he said.
Previous Next File – Investigation continues at the scene of a fatal shooting Saturday, March 16, 2024 in Levittown, Pennsylvania. A man charged in the fatal shooting of a family of three in suburban Philadelphia and a related New Jersey carjacking and assault case has been transferred to Pennsylvania, officials announced Wednesday, April 3, 2024. did. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Shawn told reporters outside the courtroom after the hearing that she will notify the court of her plans to seek the death penalty for “multiple murders and significant danger to others.” He said he did.
“We had a chance to talk to the families and find out their position,” she said. “Time will tell how this case ultimately turns out, but it needed to be certified before formal arraignment.”
Early Wednesday, Gordon, 26, waived his extradition hearing in New Jersey and was transferred to officials in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, according to prosecutors and a New Jersey state court spokeswoman.
Authorities say Gordon carjacked a car in Trenton, New Jersey, in the early morning hours of March 16, then drove to Levittown in Falls Township, Pennsylvania.
There, he killed his stepmother and sister, according to the Bucks County District Attorney. He then drove to a vacation home in Levittown and killed the mother of his two children, authorities said. He is also accused of hitting and injuring the children’s grandmother with a rifle.
Among the dead was Gordon’s 52-year-old stepmother, Karen Gordon. his 13-year-old sister, Kera Gordon; Taylor Daniel is a 25-year-old mother of two children, the district attorney said. Authorities said her children were also present when Gordon shot and killed her mother.
Authorities said Gordon then carjacked a second car in Morrisville and returned to Trenton. Police surrounded the house for hours, believing Mr Gordon was there, but he appears to have slipped out before a cordon was erected. He was found walking down the street several blocks away and arrested without a weapon.
The unrest forced the cancellation of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and the closure of a Sesame Street-themed amusement park and many other businesses. Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order for several hours.
Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the attack.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has said he will not allow executions while he is governor and hopes the Legislature will work toward abolishing the death penalty. The state’s most recent execution was in 1999.
