Pottstown Murder Suspect Nabbed By U.S. Marshals In Philly

POTTSTOWN, PA — U.S. Marshals arrested a Philadelphia teenager in the city over the weekend in connection with a killing that took place in Pottstown Borough this summer.

A reward had been offered recently for the capture of 17-year-old Jahme Barnes, who was being sought in connection with the killing of Dakari Rome, 25, and the attempted murder of a 17-year-old man that took place in late August.

The shooting that killed Rome and injured the other teen took place Aug. 28 just after 10 at night in the area of Grant Street and Union Alley.

Police said Rome and the other victim, both of whom were from Pottstown, were taken to Pottstown Hospital following the shooting incident.

The teen was treated for a gunshot wound to his hand while Rome was pronounced dead upon arrival.

The Montgomery County District Attorney's office on Saturday said that a team of U.S. Marshals tracked down Barnes to a residence on the 2300 block of North Lambert Street in North Philadelphia where she was taken into custody.

Prosecutors did not say how the federal agents were led to the North Lambert Street address.

A $5,000 reward had been offered in connection with Barnes' capture.

Related: Teen Charged In Pottstown Slaying; Second Teen Sought

Barnes is being charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, third-degree murder, aggravated assault, robbery, conspiracy, possessing an instrument of crime and related firearms charges.

The second-degree murder charge was lodged against Barnes because the killing took place during the commission of a felony - robbery.

A co-defendant, Kahseem Williams, 18, of Philadelphia, was previously arrested on third-degree murder and related charges.

Prosecutors laid out an account of what occurred leading up to the fatal shooting in August.

Barnes was said to be driving a vehicle owned by Rome at the time, with Rome in the front passenger seat and the teen victim in the rear middle seat, according to the DA's Office.

A search of Williams' cellphone revealed that Rome and Williams were instant messaging each other at the time, when, at around 9:42 p.m., Rome messaged Williams asking him to hold onto his gun for him, according to the DA's Office.

The teen who was shot in the hand during the incident had told detectives that he possessed a 9mm Glock handgun on the night of the killing and that Rome had asked to "see" the weapon, after which the teen handed over the gun to Rome, prosecutors stated.

"Rome then handed the gun to Williams and Williams gave it to Barnes, who started to play with it while videotaping herself before she then pointed it at [the teen] and said, 'what else you got?'" the DA's Office stated in a news release.

The teen then said he put his left hand up over the front seat and Barnes shot him, with the bullet traveling through his hand and into Rome's chest, killing the 25-year-old, according to prosecutors.

The teen ended up fleeing the vehicle, but he was shot at by Williams as he ran down Union Alley, the DA's Office stated.

Barnes, who is being charged as an adult, was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Scott T. Palladino after she was taken into custody, and she was subsequently remanded to the Montgomery County Youth Center since there is no bail for first-degree murder defendants in Pennsylvania.

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 18 at 11 a.m. before Magisterial District Court Judge Edward C. Kropp, Sr.