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Edwin Islas-Cruz, 23, is charged with first-degree murder, along with Brandon Darden, 25, and Joshua Agudio Jr., 20, for their roles in the Sept. 18 shootout on Astor Street that killed 51-year-old Barry Fields, according to Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Norristown Acting Police Chief Todd Dillon.
Islas-Cruz was arrested after a state police trooper stopped the 2005 Chrysler he was riding in for speeding on Interstate 80 near Grand Island, authorities said.
Islas-Cruz, who reportedly provided the trooper with a false name, was in the car with two other men and a juvenile male.
Three 9mm handguns were found in the vehicle as well as one pound of marijuana, authorities said.
One of the guns had an obliterated serial number, and two of the guns had extended magazines like those seen on surveillance video from the homicide, the DA's office said.
A dark-colored face mask similar to one worn by one of the shooters who exited the Toyota Camry was discovered in the vehicle.
On the day of the shooting, Islas-Cruz and a second, unidentified man arrived in a Toyota Camry, got out, and began firing shots north on Astor Street, where a group of men were hanging out in front of a home, authorities said.
Darden and Agudio, two of the men who had been hanging out, reportedly returned fire.
Fields, who was not involved in the shooting, had been sitting on the steps of his home when gunfire erupted, striking him in the head, the DA's office said.
All four males in the Chrysler were arrested by the state trooper on drug and weapons charges.
Islas-Cruz is awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania.
Darden and Agudio have been lodged in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility with no bail since their arrests on Sept. 30.
A fourth shooter is still under investigation.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the Norristown Police Department at 610-270-0977 or call the Montgomery County Detectives’ tip line at 610-278-DOIT (3638).
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