Chester Co. road rage suspect turns himself in, faces murder charges
WEST GOSHEN, Pa. (WTXF/AP) - Police have the suspect in Wednesday’s deadly road rage shooting in custody.
According to police, he turned himself in Sunday after a manhunt ensued when he allegedly killed recent high school graduate Bianca Roberson.
"This is a story of a savage of senseless murder," said Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan at Sunday's press conference at the West Goshen Police Department.
At 2 a.m., David Desper, 28 of Trainer, Delaware County, turned himself in to authorities. He’s charged with 1st degree murder, 3rd degree murder, possessing an instrument of crime, and recklessly engaging others.
Bianca Roberson, 18, was shot in West Goshen on Wednesday in what West Goshen Police Chief Joseph Gleason described as a high speed "cat and mouse game" between her and her alleged killer who was driving a faded red pickup truck.
The two were headed westbound on Route 100 and were both trying to merge into a single lane on Route 202 when neither was ceding.
"They jockeyed for position, and he wasn't happy, so he pulled out a gun and shot Bianca in the head, killing her instantly," Hogan said.
Roberson was shot in the left side of her head and killed instantly. Her green Chevy Malibu veered off the road and was later found in a ditch.
On Sunday, the DA said the red pickup truck took off "like a bat out of hell," driving partly along the shoulder of the highway until exiting the road. It went up 202 to Paoli Pike to get away.
"We got a crucial piece of evidence from Bianca herself, because the round recovered from her was reviewed by a forensic ballistics expert who told us that that round came from a 40-caliber Smith & Wesson semi-automatic handgun," Hogan said.
DA Hogan revealed authorities had gotten hundreds of tips from people who heard a 40-caliber Smith & Wesson semi-automatic handgun shot and saw the red pickup. Desper did have a permit to carry the gun, which he purchased in November 2015.
Police checked every red pickup in the area alond with every permitted gun owner. Eventually, they narrowed their search to Desper and warned him to turn himself in.
He did early Sunday morning, through his attorney, and is being held without bail.
Later, at his Trainer home, authorities say they found the red pickup with a dent and brought it back to Chester County. It was registered to Desper. They also checked his home and found the gun.
Police released a sketch of the alleged gunman believed to have killed Roberson at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. The suspect was described as a 20- to 40-year-old man with blond hair and a medium build.
Authorities had said there was a $5,000 reward for information leading to the suspect's capture. We have no word if anyone will get or split it.
Saturday night, a vigil was held in Roberson's memory.
Roberson had just graduated from Bayard Rustin High School. She was headed to Jacksonville University in Florida in the fall.
When asked if race was a factor in the slaying -- Desper is white and Roberson black -- Hogan said there was no indication that race played a role.
"This appears to be a savage, senseless and brutal act from one human being to another human being," he said.