Bensalem Police and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office have concluded their investigation into the homicide of Peter Romano, 14, a student at Snyder Middle School, who was shot and killed on Halloween night at the intersection of Bristol Pike and Woodbine Avenue. Two other males were also shot that evening, but survived.
During the investigation, dozens of witness interviews were conducted, and several search warrants were prepared, approved and executed. The prime suspect Sean Hughes, 19, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a police pursuit in Marysville, Ohio, on Nov. 2, 2023.
Hughes killed himself with a Sig Sauer handgun, on which ballistic testing was performed. Fired cartridges were recovered at the shooting scene and were identified as being fired from the same Sig Sauer handgun. Two bullets were also recovered and identified as being fired from the handgun, including the bullet retrieved from Romano at autopsy. The handgun recovered from Ohio was also processed for DNA evidence, and testing concluded that Hughes’ DNA was found on the trigger, frame/receiver, slide, sights and magazine.
A cell phone belonging to Hughes was analyzed, and a forensic examination was performed to include cell phone records, text messages and social media applications. There were no messages or any other communications that showed that anyone assisted, conspired or participated in the shooting other than Hughes, who admitted to several people that he was responsible for the shooting after the crime was committed. This was confirmed during subsequent interviews.
Hughes fled to Ohio after the shooting and was aided by a subject named Joshua Marquez. Hughes communicated via text message with Marquez after the shooting. Marquez was apprehended with Hughes following the police pursuit, and charged with Obstructing Justice by the Marysville Police Department for aiding Hughes during his time in Ohio after the homicide.
The investigation revealed that Hughes stole the handgun from an apartment in Philadelphia. The original owner, Kenrick R. Winslow, gave the Sig Sauer to one of the residents sometime in 2017 or 2018. Winslow was charged with PACC 6111(c) Illegal Transfer of Firearm, a Misdemeanor of the second degree. District Justice Christopher O’Neill arraigned Winslow and he was released on his recognizance on $15,000 bail.
After a thorough investigation, Bensalem Police found no evidence that anyone other than Hughes was involved in the shooting and homicide in Bensalem Township on Oct. 31, 2023.
Anyone with additional information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Bensalem Police.
