A 15-year-old Pennsylvania boy has been charged with the murder of an itinerant accused of raping his girlfriend, 16, leaving is father who works as a homeless advocate ‘devastated.’
Thomas James Niarhos, of Stowe, was charged with first degree murder following the death of Jeremiah Waylon Hawkins, 39, on Wednesday.
Police arrived on the scene just after midday in Pottstown to find Hawkins, a homelessness man, with a gunshot wound to the head.
According to Montgomery County District Kevin R. Steele, Niarhos was being held by witnesses and immediately taken into custody by police following the incident.
Officers recovered a .40 calibre Smith & Wesson semi-automatic firearm from the scene, which detectives later determined to be the firearm of his father, who shares the same name, Tom Niarhos.
Thomas James Niarhos, of Stowe, was charged with first degree murder following the death of homeless man Jeremiah Waylon Hawkins, 39, on Wednesday
Niarhos is the son of Tom Niarhos who is the executive director of homeless advocacy group Beacon of Hope
According to investigators, the motive in the shooting may be related to an alleged sexual assault of Niarhos’ girlfriend four months earlier
The incident happened in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and police arrived to find Hawkins with a gunshot wound to the head
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com the elder Niarhos expressed extreme dismay over the incident.
‘The only comment I have is that it was tragedy and my prayers go out to [Hawkins’] family,’ he said.
Niarhos also confirmed that Hawkins was not immediately known to the organization he works for, Pottstown Beacon of Hope.
Beacon of Hope provide emergency shelter to those experiencing homelessness in the areas, as well as a warming center for this living on the streets.
Niarhos has been the executive director of the charity for the last three years, having previously experienced homelessness himself.
According to investigators, the motive in the shooting may be related to an alleged sexual assault of Niarhos’ girlfriend four months earlier.
Earlier police records indicate that Niarhos had told officers in July that Hawkins had allegedly raped his 16-year-old girlfriend. The girl has not been identified.
Pottstown Police investigated the accusations at the time but received no cooperation from the girl’s family, and her mother told police they did not wish to press charges.
According to witness interviews and a review of surveillance footage by police, Niarhos had sought out Hawkins, with the two seen standing close together arguing.
The younger Niarhos is said to have extended his arm towards Hawkins, before he had a tire swung at him, police said.
Despite the attempt by Hawkins, Niarhos is alleged to have fired a single shot at Hawkins’ face, causing him to fall to the ground.
Niarhos had told officers in July that Hawkins had allegedly raped his 16-year-old girlfriend
Niarhos allegedly yelled ‘he’s a rapist, don’t be sorry for him’ as he was was escorted from the crime scene
The younger Niarhos, seen here, frequently shared videos on his YouTube channel which included diss tracks
The younger Niarhos is then alleged to have fired another shot at Hawkins before dropping the firearm and walking away where he was then detained by bystanders.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, as Niarhos was being escorted to the police station, an officer’s body camera recorded him shouting at first responders trying to save Hawkins.
‘He’s a rapist, don’t be sorry for him… he raped a 15-year-old girl, don’t help him,’ the younger Niarhos is said to have yelled at emergency services.
Anthony Colavecci, who is also homeless, told MediaNews Group on Wednesday after the shooting that Hawkins, whom he called ‘Jay,’ was his former roommate.
Colavecci said Hawkins, who had become addicted to drugs recently, had ‘saved my life.
‘I slipped in the bathroom and I kept saying I was fine, but he insisted that the ambulance take me to the hospital,’ he said.
‘I keep trying to tell myself I don’t care, but there are people who will miss him and I’m one of them.’
On Wednesday, Niarhos’ father told detectives he received a phone call from a friend who was crying and telling him to report to the police department.
Detectives then showed him a picture of the recovered firearm which he identified as one belonging to him, and that it was missing from his home.
The elder Niarhos told officers that he’d recently been keeping that gun in his master bedroom in a locked nightstand.
![Tom Niarhos (pictured with wife Samantha) told DailyMail.com the shooting 'was tragedy and my prayers go out to [Hawkins'] family'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/26/04/78241803-12791761-image-a-29_1700974040911.jpg)
Tom Niarhos (pictured with wife Samantha) told DailyMail.com the shooting ‘was tragedy and my prayers go out to [Hawkins’] family’
Niarhos is said to have fired a single shot at his face causing him to fall immediately before firing another
He also told police that on Wednesday he had found a note in his son’s bedroom indicating a plan to run away, as well as a packed bag of clothes.
An autopsy was conducted on Hawkins by Dr. Khalil Wardak, a forensic pathologist with the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office, which found that Hawkins had been shot once in the side of his face at close range.
Dr. Wardak opined the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was homicide.
Niarhos was formally charged as an adult with first-degree murder, third-degree murder, possessing a firearm as a minor, among other charges.
He was formally arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Margaret Hunsicker on Nov. 22, 2023 and was remanded to the Montgomery County Youth Center.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 30, 2023, before Magisterial District Judge Scott T. Palladino.
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