A man is facing murder charges in Pennsylvania and carjacking and weapons charges in New Jersey after allegedly committing a series of violent acts that resulted in the deaths of three family members. Andre Gordon Jr., 26, is accused of killing his stepmother and sister in Levittown, Pennsylvania, and the mother of his two children in a separate location. He is also charged with carjacking vehicles in both states and evading law enforcement for hours as police mobilized in pursuit.
In Pennsylvania, Gordon faces three counts of first- and second-degree murder, aggravated assault, robbery, and other charges. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced that Gordon is charged with first-degree carjacking and weapons offenses in New Jersey.
Authorities stated that Gordon carjacked a vehicle in Trenton, New Jersey, before traveling to Levittown, Pennsylvania, where he committed the murders. He then carjacked another vehicle in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, and returned to Trenton. Despite police surrounding a home in Trenton where they believed Gordon was hiding, he managed to evade capture and was eventually apprehended while walking down a street unarmed.
The victims were identified as Gordon’s stepmother, sister, and the mother of his children. Gordon’s motive for the attacks remains unclear, and authorities in Pennsylvania emphasized that his prior brushes with the law did not indicate such violence.
The incidents led to disruptions in the affected communities, including the cancellation of a St. Patrick’s Day parade and the closure of businesses. A shelter-in-place order was issued for certain areas in Pennsylvania’s Bucks County.
Gordon is currently in custody at the Mercer County Correction Center in New Jersey and is expected to be extradited to Pennsylvania to face charges. The crimes have left communities in Bucks and Mercer counties alarmed and terrorized, according to Platkin.
