2 Wanted After Fatal Pottstown Shooting Saturday: Montco DA

POTTSTOWN, PA — The Montgomery County coroner has said a shooting death in Pottstown Saturday was homicide and authorities are looking for two men charged after the fatal incident.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Pottstown Police Chief Mick Markovich announced that arrest warrants have been issued for Samir Bentley, 20, of Philadelphia, for first-degree murder, and Eric Baker, 26, of Norristown for aggravated assault in the Saturday night shooting death of 27-year-old Robert Stiles in Pottstown.

The shooting the DA's Office said was a murder happened on Oct. 23. Pottstown Police were dispatched at 8:26 p.m. to 429 E. High St. The DA's report said an officer found Stiles lying on the sidewalk suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported by ambulance to Reading Hospital, where he later died of his injuries, according to the DA's report.

"We need the public's help in finding Bentley and Baker. They should be considered armed and dangerous," Steele said.

Montgomery County Detectives and Pottstown Police launched a joint homicide investigation.

The homicide was captured on Pottstown’s video surveillance cameras, Steele's Office said. The video shows several men gathered in the area of 439 E. High St. One man can be seen handing something to Bentley, who is known to police, the DA's report said.

Bentley then, in the video, fires three shots directly at the victim, who falls to the ground, according to the report. Bentley, along with the man who handed him the item and another man, flee and get into a dark-colored minivan, according to the DA's report.

As the minivan pulls away, a man with dreadlocks and wearing a sweatshirt with "Glock" on the front, is seen firing an assault rifle at the minivan as it flees, the report said. Also seen on the video surveillance are the white Toyota and black Nissan leaving the scene, police said.

Several minutes after this shooting, Pottstown Police responded to a two-vehicle accident at North Washington and Beech Streets involving a white Toyota Corolla and a black Nissan Altima. Witnesses reported seeing four people running from the Nissan; one man had dreadlocks and was carrying an assault-style rifle, according to a police report.

At the murder scene, three .45-caliber, one 9mm, and seven .22-caliber fired cartridge casings were recovered, the District Attorney said. Detectives also recovered a cellphone that was dropped as the shooters fled. Police reported the phone's background photo was of Bentley.

At the crash scene, police reported they had a warrant to search both cars. The search, the report said, turned up a 9mm Smith and Wesson handgun was recovered from the Toyota, and a Pennsylvania ID update card belonging to Eric Baker was found in the Nissan. Detectives obtained a photo of Baker and were able to identify Baker as the man firing the assault rifle at the fleeing minivan, according to the DA's report.

On Sunday, Stiles' autopsy by Dr. Supriya Kuruvilla determined the cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds and the manner of death was homicide.

"This cold-blooded murder was captured on the surveillance system monitored in real time by the Pottstown Police, and we have issued arrest warrants for the shooter and another involved in less than 48 hours," said Steele.

Bentley is wanted on charges of first-degree Murder, third-degree murder, criminal conspiracy and possessing an instrument of crime. He is 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 130 pounds, police said.

Baker is wanted on charges of aggravated assault, person not to oossess a firearm and recklessly endangering another person. He is 5-feet, 10-inches tall and weighs 170 pounds, police said.

Anyone who sees either man is urged to call 911 immediately, Steele's Office said.

Anyone with information on either man's whereabouts or this murder, should contact the Pottstown Police at 610-970-6570 or call the Montgomery County Detectives' Tip Line at 610-278-DOIT (3638).

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