Son of homeless advocate charged with killing homeless man after claiming victim raped his girlfriend
The teenage son of the leader of a Pennsylvania homeless advocacy group has been charged with murdering a homeless man who he claimed sexually assaulted his girlfriend over the summer.
Police say that 15-year-old Thomas James Niarhos, of Stowe, shot Jeremiah Waylon Hawkins, 39, in the face at point-blank range just after noon on Wednesday before yelling out, “He’s a rapist, don’t feel sorry for him,” according to court documents obtained by The Montgomery Daily Voice.
The teen had reportedly been caught by police loitering near where the fatal shooting took place, just yards from a police station, on July 13, telling officers then that Hawkins had raped his girlfriend behind a nearby dumpster.
Niarhos returned to the same spot on Wednesday with his father’s .40 caliber Smith & Wesson semi-automatic firearm, which he had taken out of a locked safe, and got into a physical altercation with Hawkins, according to surveillance footage and a probable cause affidavit.
During the dispute, Hawkins attempted to knock the gun out of Niarhos’ hand using a bicycle tire.
Niarhos then fired a shot, causing Hawkins to fall to the ground, before firing a second shot at close range into his face, which killed him, police said.
When cops arrived they found a group of bystanders restraining the teen, who yelled out “He’s a rapist, don’t feel sorry for him,” and “He raped a 15-year-old girl, don’t help him,” as he was brought into custody.
The girlfriend, who is now 16 years old, and her mother were contacted by Pottstown Police on July 13 following Niarhos’ report.
The girl told her mother that “something had happened to her,” but the family declined to press charges or investigate the incident, according to court documents.
An autopsy determined that Hawkins had been shot at the side of his face at close range and that the ultimate cause of death was a homicide, the outlet reported.
Police took the gun from the scene as part of their investigation.
Niarhos’ father is the Executive Director of Pottstown Beacon of Hope, an organization that provides assistance to locals experiencing homelessness.
The young murder suspect was also apparently planning to live in the streets, according to his father, who reportedly told police he found a note in his bedroom indicating he was planning on running away alongside a packed bag of clothing.
Niarhos has been charged as an adult with first-degree murder, third-degree murder, possessing a firearm by a minor, possessing an instrument of crime and other charges, according to court documents.
He is being held without bail at the Montgomery County Youth Center and is due back in court on Nov. 30.
