Murder Charge Added For 17-Year-Old In Pottstown Home Invasion

POTTSTOWN, PA — A 17-year-old will now face murder charges and be tried as an adult for his role in a recent home invasion and killing of a Pottstown woman.

Pottstown's Camren Williams had previously been charged with only robbery and related counts. Further investigation led to the additional charges being filed on Friday.

It was Aaron Joseph Taylor, 18, who shot the victim through her bedroom door, investigators determined. Williams worked with Taylor throughout the home invasion and later disposed of the pistol and clothing used in the crime.

The incident occurred on Nov. 18 at around 6:45 p.m. at a home on the 300 block of North Washington Street.

>>Teen Charged With Murdering Woman During Home Invasion: Montco DA

A repair man was changing the front door lock when Taylor and Williams came up to him and pointed a gun at him, moving him into the kitchen, the DA said.

Williams held the repair man at gunpoint, while Taylor headed upstairs, where a resident, Syliva Williams (no relation to Camren), 38, had barricaded herself inside her bedroom along with her boyfriend. They had an alarm remote and they hit the panic alarm, according to a criminal complaint.

Police said Taylor tried to break the door down and when he couldn't, he fired one shot through the door before fleeing the scene, telling the other suspect "there ain't nothing here."

Sylvia Williams' boyfriend listened for them to leave, and heard the repair man come up and tell them that the coast was clear. But when he turned back to Sylvia Williams, he saw she was not moving and was bleeding from her head. She was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

An investigation revealed that Taylor and the William believed the home belonged to a major drug dealer, and they planned to rob it. When they discovered they were wrong, they took nothing and left, the complaint states.

A preliminary hearing for both Williams and Taylor is set for Dec. 18. They remain in Montgomery County Correctional Facility.

Images via Montgomery County District Attorney's Office