NORRISTOWN, Pa. – The two men accused of shooting and killing Andrew Gaudio, 25, and paralyzing his mother, Bernadette, during a home invasion in Lower Merion Township in December of last year, and the third man accused of orchestrating the crime, will spend life behind bars.
“It will be nice to close the chapter on this book and continue on with our recovery,” said Robert Gaudio, Bernadette’s older son.
What we know:
Charles Fulforth, who was the first to be sentenced today, and Kelvin Roberts, were convicted of first-degree murder back in July, among other charges, and sentenced to life behind bars.Â
They are accused of shooting Bernadette in her bed, paralyzing her, and murdering Andrew by shooting him, execution style, at Gaudio home on Meredith Road on December 8th, hours after celebrating Robert’s birthday.
Prosecutors say the pair worked together at Junkluggers in Willow Grove and went to the wrong address as part of a plan to steal guns from an elderly couple in Bucks County.
Fulforth received a consecutive sentence of 60 to 120 years. Judge Ferman said to him, “You are one of the worst offenders this court has ever seen.”
Roberts received the same sentence, with a consecutive sentence of 55.5 to 120 years.Â
Roberts had two family members and a close friend that spoke to the court, apologizing to the Gaudio family and stating that Roberts had mental health struggles leading up to the crime.
A third Junkluggers co-worker, Jeremy Fuentes, was convicted of second-degree murder in a separate trial and sentenced today to life behind bars, with a consecutive sentence of four to 20 years.Â
He’s accused of telling Fulforth and Roberts about the guns in the home and setting up the home invasion, though he did not physically go.
What they’re saying:
When given a chance to speak, he apologized to the family.
“To shoot a woman and paralyze a woman while she laid in bed, to execute her son in front of her, it doesn’t get any worse than that,” said First Assistant Edward McCann, who prosecuted the case with Deputy District Attorney Brianna Ringwood.
Robert and Bernadette Gaudio had to read their emotional statements three separate times in court for each defendant.
Bernadette spoke about the pain she lives with daily from losing her son and her physical injuries that left her fully dependent on caretakers, and no way to hug or receive a hug. She says it takes an hour for her just to get out of bed and that she lost the freedom and full, active life she once lived.
“This has been a really difficult journey for me and now that the trial and sentencing is over, we can focus on my health and my recovery,” she said.
Robert said when offered to pursue the death penalty in this case, he says his family decided a fate worse than death was to “be forgotten.” He said losing his brother was losing his best friend.
“He was compassionate, curious, beloved person, a kid of many nicknames,” he said.
What you can do:
The Gaudio family says they have not been able to make a memorial for Andrew, and they are looking forward to planning that.
Anyone wishing to help Bernadette Gaudio in her recovery can do so by visiting her Help Hope Live website, here.