Suspect held for trial in Norristown fatal shooting
A Delaware County man was held for trial on charges he fatally shot another man during an altercation on New Year’s Eve in Norristown.
Nyjeah J. White, 27, of the 300 block of Windmere Street, Lansdowne, was ordered to stand trial, after a preliminary hearing on Friday before District Court Judge Gregory Scott, on charges of first- and third-degree murder, person not to possess a firearm and possessing an instrument of crime in connection with the alleged Dec. 31, 2020, fatal shooting of Rasheed Bundy in the 1200 block of Markley Street.
White will remain in the county jail without bail while awaiting trial.
White will face a formal arraignment on the charges in county court in May. At that time a judge could set a trial date.
Montgomery County First Assistant District Attorney Edward F. McCann Jr. is prosecuting the case along with co-prosecutor Kelly Lloyd.
A conviction of first-degree murder, which is an intentional killing, can carry a sentence of life imprisonment or the death penalty. A conviction of third-degree murder carries a possible maximum sentence of 20 to 40 years in prison.
White had been on the lam for more than two months after the alleged fatal shooting but was apprehended by U.S. Marshals without incident on March 19 in the Germantown section of Philadelphia.
The investigation began about 9:42 p.m. Dec. 31 when Norristown police responded to a residence in the 1200 block of Markley Street for a reported shooting and found Bundy, 36, dead from an apparent gunshot wound to the head in the alley between neighboring homes, according to a criminal complaint filed by county Detective Michael Crescitelli and Norristown Detective Angela Anderson.
A subsequent autopsy determined Bundy died from multiple gunshot wounds and the manner of death was ruled homicide. During the autopsy, doctors recovered two fired projectiles from Bundy’s body, according to the criminal complaint.
Arriving officers said several people at the scene were overheard saying that “Ny” shot Bundy. The investigation determined that White was the former boyfriend of the victim’s sister and had been visiting a residence in the area shortly before the shooting.
Witnesses told detectives that Bundy left a Markley Street residence where he was attending a party, saying that he was going outside to “have words with Ny,” according to the criminal complaint. Within minutes, witnesses reported hearing gunshots, according to court documents.
Witnesses told detectives they observed White’s blue sedan driving away from the scene and detectives recovered video surveillance camera footage in the area that depicted the vehicle leaving the scene immediately after the alleged shooting, according to court documents.
With the charges, authorities alleged White has a prior felony conviction and therefore is prohibited from possessing a firearm.