William Carter dies in fatal Norristown shooting
William Carter dies in fatal Norristown shooting
Fatal Norristown shooting death of William Carter – Obituary.
Three men have been charged in connection with the January 20, 2024, robbery and murder of William Carter in Norristown. The suspects, Daquan Allen, 29, and Damon Brantley Jr., 18, both from Norristown, along with Jerry Butler, 29, from Philadelphia, are facing charges related to Carter’s death.
In a courtroom testimony, Katherine “Kay” Lynn Emel, 31, Carter’s ex-girlfriend, calmly identified Allen as a key figure in the robbery. She admitted to plotting the crime with him, believing Carter had stopped contributing financially to her rent after their breakup in late 2023. Emel said she told Allen about Carter’s recent gambling winnings, leading to the fatal robbery.
Emel testified that she needed the money to avoid eviction and shared Carter’s location with Allen on the night of the crime. Later, she met Allen in Philadelphia, where he gave her $700. Video surveillance showed this meeting took place on North Broad Street shortly after Carter’s murder.
Although Emel didn’t intend for Carter to be killed, she admitted that Allen later told her the shooting was not part of the plan, attributing the act to his accomplices, whom he referred to as “young bulls.”
Allen, along with Brantley and Butler, is on trial facing charges of various degrees of murder under accomplice liability. Brantley, alleged to be the shooter, faces first- and second-degree murder charges, while Butler and Allen are charged with second-degree murder and robbery.
Emel, who previously pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and robbery charges, testified as part of a deal requiring her cooperation. Despite tough cross-examination, she maintained her account, saying she initially withheld information from detectives to protect herself.
Another key witness, Justin Lyaire Davis, who was 16 at the time of the robbery, also testified, identifying Brantley as the shooter. In exchange for his testimony, Davis will be tried in juvenile court and serve time in a detention facility until he turns 21.
The case is expected to conclude soon, with the prosecution portraying Allen as the mastermind, Butler as the enforcer, and Brantley as the gunman. The defense, however, questioned the reliability of witnesses like Emel and Davis, arguing that reasonable doubt remains.
On the night of the incident, Norristown police responded to reports of gunfire and found Carter dead on a sidewalk with no money or phone on him. Carter, who was unarmed, had left a residence where he had visited his daughter to retrieve money from a car before he was confronted by the robbers. Surveillance footage captured the suspects exiting a vehicle and robbing Carter before Brantley allegedly shot him in the head.
The gun used in the murder was never recovered, but ballistics experts testified that the casings found at the scene matched bullets found in a location tied to Brantley. Investigators also linked Butler’s DNA to Carter’s clothing.
The suspects fled the scene in a Toyota RAV-4, which was later set on fire. Authorities believe Brantley was responsible for torching the vehicle, as photos taken after his arrest showed burns on his face and hands.
Detectives later discovered that Carter was driving a car belonging to Emel, who had placed a GPS tracking device in its trunk.
The trial continues as prosecutors aim to convict the three men involved in the fatal crime.
William Carter dies in fatal Norristown shooting Fatal Norristown shooting death of William Carter – Obituary. Three men have been charged in connection with the January 20, 2024, robbery and murder of William Carter in Norristown. The suspects, Daquan Allen, 29, and Damon Brantley Jr., 18, both from Norristown, along with Jerry Butler, 29, from…
William Carter dies in fatal Norristown shooting Fatal Norristown shooting death of William Carter – Obituary. Three men have been charged in connection with the January 20, 2024, robbery and murder of William Carter in Norristown. The suspects, Daquan Allen, 29, and Damon Brantley Jr., 18, both from Norristown, along with Jerry Butler, 29, from…