Man Killed, Robbed High School Student In Delco; More Suspects Sought: Police

LANSDOWNE, PA — A man was charged with murder and robbery nearly two months after a high school student was shot in Delaware County. He remains at large, and police believe there are more suspects.

Amir Eskridge, 21, faces multiple charges in the fatal shooting of Penn Wood High School senior Richard DeShield Jr. in Lansdowne, police said.

• Related: Delco Teen Shot Dead In Car That Crashed; 2 Fled The Scene: Police

The incident unfolded around 10:35 p.m. Sept. 8 outside the Marshall House Apartments.

A Lansdowne patrol officer saw two males in dark hooded clothing standing near the driver's side window of a gray Buick LaCrosse, police said. As the officer approached, he heard gunshots and saw the two males run up the stairs and into the apartment complex's south-side entrance, police said.

The Buick sped up and crashed near North Maple Avenue. Inside the car, police found DeShield, who had been shot multiple times and was unresponsive. DeShield, 18, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Meanwhile, police searched the apartment building and found Eskridge hiding in the basement electrical room. Eskridge was one of two people detained for questioning, but he was released pending further investigation.

Police have not released any other information about the other person who was detained.

Detectives later recovered more physical evidence from the apartment building and the victim's car. Witness interviews, DNA testing, and examinations of physical evidence led to charges against Eskridge, police said.

Eskridge, of Yeadon, was charged Oct. 24 with murder, criminal homicide, conspiracy, robbery and related offenses. He remained at large when police announced the arrest Thursday night.

"We have not forgotten Richard DeShield Jr. or his family and we will not allow this investigation to lose momentum," said Lansdowne Police Chief Kenneth C. Rutherford Jr.

DeShield was just beginning his senior year at Penn Wood High School. He played linebacker on the football team and wanted to serve in the U.S. Army, his family members told NBC10 Philadelphia.

His older sister, Rachel DeShield, remembered him as someone she could count on.

"Every time my car broke down my little brother put down what he was doing just to rescue me," Rachel DeShield told NBC10. "Every little thing, my brother was there for me. My brother saw me walk that stage, I'm not gonna see him walk that stage."

Anyone with information related to this case or Eskridge's location can call the Lansdowne Police Department at 610-623-0700 or e-mail Sgt. Michael Miller at mmiller@lansdowneborough.com.