Officials: 16-year-old boy charged with third-degree murder in shooting death of 23-year-old woman
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NORRISTOWN, Pennsylvania (KYW) — A 16-year-old Montgomery County boy has been arrested in the shooting death of a 23-year-old woman inside her Norristown home. Police charged Victor Bell Jr. with third-degree murder, possessing an instrument of crime and manslaughter.
Officers found 23-year-old Diamond Rahatt suffering a gunshot wound to the head inside her home on the 1400 block of Markley Street on Jan. 3 just after 1:30 p.m.
She was transported to an area hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. An autopsy found that Rahatt died as a result of a single gunshot wound to the head.
Investigators found a Springfield Arms .40 caliber firearm, which was legally registered to the victim, next to her body on the bed.
A bullet strike was found on the bedroom wall, consistent with her being seated at the time of the bullet strike and a single cartridge was recovered in the bedroom.
Investigators say Bell was a longtime friend of Rahatt and posted a video of himself playing around with the victim’s gun shortly before the shooting occurred.
He left the home immediately after Rahatt was shot.
“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 Steele said. “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.”
Bell was denied bail and remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Jan. 15.
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