2nd Degree Murder Conviction After Six-Day Montco Homicide Trial

POTTSTOWN, PA — One of two men charged in connection with a gunshot slaying in this western Montgomery County borough a year ago has been convicted at trial on homicide and related charges.

Samir Bentley, 21, of Philadelphia, was found guilty this week of second-degree murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and carrying a gun without license, according to media reports.

Court records show Bentley underwent a six-day jury trial that began on Oct. 7 before Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge William R. Carpenter in Norristown.

Online court records as of Thursday morning did not yet reflect the conviction, but the Mercury newspaper of Pottstown reported that Carpenter immediately sentenced Bentley to life imprisonment following the jury rendering its guilty verdict.

The paper said that Bentley, who showed no visible emotions as he was convicted by the jury this week, did turn to briefly speak with his mother after the verdict.

Bentley was one of two men captured in early 2022 in North Carolina by U.S. Marshals, Patch previously reported.

Related: Philly Men Wanted For Montco Killing Captured By U.S. Marshals.

Ahmed Mohammed, 17, had been captured alongside Bentley when the two fled to the Tarheel State.

The arrests stemmed from the killing of Robert Stiles, 27, in Pottstown in late October of last year.

Stiles was found by police lying on the ground and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office previously stated.

The killing, which was caught on surveillance video, was connected to a street robbery in which the defendants reportedly targeted Stiles for money or drugs or both.

Videos showed Mohammed grabbing Stiles, pulling him into an area in front of 429 East High Street, and then another man, Daijon Harrison, is seen pulling a gun from his waistband and handing it to Bentley, who shot Stiles three times, prosecutors stated.

The three men then got into a minivan and fled the scene.

The Mercury reported that Bentley was acquitted of first-degree murder, which is a premeditated, intentional homicide.

Second-degree murder is a killing that takes place during the commission of another felony, in this case, the robbery of Stiles.

The newspaper account says that there was discrepancy over whether or not Stiles was also armed at the time he was robbed by the men.

Bentley's defense team reportedly raised the argument at trial that Bentley actually fired the gun toward Stiles in self-defense in order to protect co-defendant Mohammed.

Bentley also reportedly made the same argument when he took the stand in his own defense at trial.

Court records show that Harrison previously pleaded guilty to felony robbery and conspiracy counts and is scheduled for sentencing before Judge Carpenter on Nov. 7.

Mohammed pleaded guilty earlier this month to charges of third-degree murder, conspiracy and firearms counts, according to court records.

He was sentenced to between 23 to 46 years in prison for his crimes.