Norristown teen accused in fatal shooting of borough woman
A Norristown teenager has been charged as an adult in connection with the fatal shooting of a woman he reportedly considered an “older sister” as he allegedly recklessly handled a firearm in the victim’s borough residence.
Victor Thomas Bell Jr., 16, of the 100 block of West Fornance Street, was arraigned on Tuesday before District Court Judge Juanita Price on charges of third-degree murder, possessing an instrument of crime and involuntary manslaughter in connection with the Jan. 3 fatal shooting of 23-yearold Diamond Rahatt inside Rahatt’s home in the 1400 block of Markley Street.
“Diamond Rahatt had her whole life ahead of her—a life cut short by the reckless handling of a gun. The death of this young woman is a tragedy, and our hearts and prayers go out to her family,” Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said on Wednesday.
“The defendant was playing around and taking photos with a loaded gun without any regard for the danger and threat to human life the behavior posed. It was reckless and now a young woman is dead,” Steele added.
Steele and Norristown Police Chief Mark E. Talbot announced Bell’s arrest on Wednesday.
Bell was remanded to the county jail without bail to await a Jan. 15 preliminary hearing on the charges before District Court Judge Gregory Scott in Norristown.
Bell was charged as an adult in connection with the alleged homicide.
The alleged incident was the first homicide in the county in 2021.
With the charges, prosecutors alleged Bell caused the death of another person while acting in a reckless or grossly negligent manner.
A conviction of third-degree murder, a felony, can carry a maximum sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison. Involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree misdemeanor, is punishable by a possible maximum sentence of 2 ½ to 5 years in prison.
The investigation began about 1:39 p.m. Jan. 3 when Norristown police responded to a residence in the 1400 block of Markley Street for a report of a shooting. Arriving officers found Rahatt seated on the edge of her bed suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the head, according to the criminal complaint filed by county Detective Todd Richard.
Investigators observed and secured a Springfield Arms .40-caliber pistol on the right side of Rahatt’s body, according to court documents.
Rahatt was transported to Paoli Hospital where she was initially placed on life support but was later pronounced dead, court papers indicate.
Dr. Erica Williams, a forensic pathologist with the Chester County Coroner’s Office, performed an autopsy on Jan. 5, which determined Rahatt died as a result of a single gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was ruled homicide.
The investigation determined that the pistol was registered to Rahatt.
Detectives who processed the crime scene observed “a possible bullet strike” on the wall inside Rahatt’s bedroom and recovered a single .40-caliber cartridge casing in the bedroom, according to the criminal complaint.
“The location of this strike would be consistent with Rahatt being seated at the time she was shot,” Richard alleged in the arrest affidavit, adding detectives also reviewed body camera video footage from officers who responded to the scene.
“The initial video captured Rahatt positioned with her feet on the floor and her lying supine across the bed, consistent with having been seated at the edge of the bed at the time she was shot,” Richard alleged.
Rahatt’s 69-year-old grandfather, according to court papers, told detectives he was in his home office at the time of the shooting and was aware Rahatt was in her bedroom with her friend “Vic.” The grandfather told detectives that after hearing the gunshot he walked into a hallway and encountered Bell leaving the bedroom and heading toward the front door of the residence.
At that time, Bell allegedly stated “she was shot” and he left the house, according to the arrest affidavit.
The victim’s grandfather told detectives he entered the bedroom and observed Rahatt’s gun on the bed near her body and he called 911.
County and Norristown detectives interviewed Bell in the presence of his father on Jan. 3, according to court documents. Bell told detectives he had known Rahatt for six years and considered her an “older sister.”
Bell allegedly told detectives he and Rahatt were alone in her bedroom at the time of the shooting and that Rahatt was lying on her bed with her gun next to her while he was involved in a Facetime call with a friend, according to arrest documents.
Bell claimed he picked up the gun to hold it and while doing so Rahatt asked him to hand her some “Dutch’s,” according to the criminal complaint. Bell allegedly claimed he grabbed the “Dutch’s” and turned back to hand them to Rahatt. At the time, Bell was holding the gun in his right hand and the “Dutch’s” in his left hand, according to Bell’s statement to detectives.
“Bell said as he handed Diamond the ‘Dutch’s,’ the gun fired and struck Rahatt,” Richard alleged, adding Bell estimated he was about two-feet from Rahatt as the gun fired.
Court documents indicate that Bell, in the presence of his father, consented to a search of his cellphone. During an examination of the phone, detectives uncovered several photographs and videos allegedly depicting Bell displaying various firearms, according to the criminal complaint.
One of the videos allegedly recorded about 12:51 p.m. on Jan. 3 depicted Bell wearing a black ski mask and holding Rahatt’s .40-caliber handgun while he pointed it at his phone, according to the arrest affidavit. Detectives noted the video was recorded about 48 minutes before Rahatt was shot.
“The defendant was playing around and taking photos with a loaded gun without any regard for the danger and threat to human life the behavior posed. It was reckless and now a young woman is dead.” - Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele