Update: The suspect in the deadly road rage incident that left 18-year-old Bianca Roberson dead has turned himself in. David Desper has been charged with first degree murder and is held without bail. District Attorney Tom Hogan said at a news conference on Sunday morning that the 28-year old Pennsylvania native turned himself around 2 a.m. His red pickup truck, and a gun (believed to be the murder weapon), were then recovered.
We will update this story as more details become available.
Previous story: The search for the driver suspected of fatally shooting a recent high school graduate in an apparent road rage incident entered its forth day this weekend, as authorities across three states work to locate the young woman’s killer.
Bianca Nikol Roberson was driving home from a shopping trip with her father Wednesday, June 28, when she was shot and killed by another driver, NBC Philadelphia reported.
At a press conference late last week, Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said the deadly incident unfolded after Roberson and the suspect tried to merge into the same lane at once. That’s when the 18-year-old’s green Chevy Malibu bumped the suspect’s red pickup truck. The man then pulled out a gun and shot Roberson in the head, Hogan said.
The Pennsylvania teen’s car veered off the road and crashed in a ditch; she died instantly. The suspect fled the scene toward Route 202 and police say he was last seen turning onto a local road.
“This was a senseless and brutal act of violence,” Hogan said. “To that man who fired that shot, turn yourself in now. Every second you are out there you are only making this worse for yourself and making this worse for this young lady’s family.”
Authorities have since released a sketch of the suspected shooter, who an eyewitness described as a medium-built, white male, 30 to 40 years old with blonde/light-colored brown hair. His vehicle is also described as a small, red pickup truck with faded paint, according to the local news station.
Images courtesy of NBC Philadelphia.
Roberson had just graduated from Bayard Rustin High School and was slated to attend Jacksonville University in Florida this coming fall. The teen’s father, Rodney Roberson, choked back tears as he spoke of his daughter’s college aspirations.
“We were all excited for her,” he told NBC Philadelphia. “She was excited. We were just happy for her.”
Michelle Roberson, the teen’s mother, also expressed grief, describing her daughter’s death as “surreal.”
“How can you just shoot a baby, an 18-year-old girl, on her way to college and then just speed off like it was nothing?” she said. “She didn’t deserve to die like this.”
Roberson’s death is the latest tragedy for her family; the teen’s 22-year-old brother died from heart disease a few years ago.
Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for anyone with information on the whereabouts of the shooter.
A GoFundMe page launched Thursday amassed donations from over 350 people in less than 24 hours, NBC Philadelphia reported. By midday Friday, the campaign surpassed its goal of $15,000. The page now has more than $30,000 in donations.
“We cannot begin to express our extreme gratitude for the donations that continue to come in,” the page reads. “As we continue communicating with Bianca’s family, we’ll discuss ideas such as a scholarship being created out of some money earned in this GoFundMe.
“As many have heard, this story has taken a very unexpected turn and the family is going through an unimaginable time, so please keep them in your thoughts are prayers at this time.”
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact the West Goshen Police Department at 610-696-7400.
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