Upper Dublin Man Among Murderers Who Could Have Life-Sentence Overturned

NORRISTOWN, PA - Five juveniles facing life imprisonment without parole sentences could be subject to review in light of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said Wednesday.

The January 25 Supreme Court ruling, Montgomery v. Louisiana, clarified an earlier ruling that decreed mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles to be unconstitutional.

The clarification stated that the new ruling must be applied to juvenile sentences retroactively, meaning that individuals currently in jail for crimes committed as teenagers could be considered for parole or sentenced reductions.

“We are currently evaluating the ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court and determining what needs to be done with regard to these cases and their sentences,” Steele said.

In Montgomery County, there are potentially five convictions of first-degree or second-degree murder that could be affected by the Supreme Court decision. They are:

• Aaron Phillips, age 17, of Upper Dublin, when he killed Anthony “Eddie” McEvoy, of Pottstown, in 1986;
• Ricky Roberts, age 17, of West Pottsgrove, when he killed Brenda J. Rhoades, of West Pottsgrove, in 1993;
• Nathaniel Bunday, age 17, of Norristown, when he killed Kyle Ramage, of Norristown, in 1994;
• Jorge Munoz, age 17, of Norristown, when he killed Christopher McNelly, of Norristown, in 1996;
• Terrell Clary, age 16, of Norristown, when he killed William Six, of Bridgeport, in 1999.