Prosecutors: Friend Robbed Teen, Killed Him, Burned Body

A teen whose burned body was found after an apartment fire earlier this month was allegedly murdered by a friend over a few hundred dollars from a tax return, authorities said Wednesday.

Shakeem L. Carter, 20, faces 15 different charges and is being held without bail, Chester County prosecutors said at a morning news conference.

Authorities found the body of 17-year-old Kevin Allen, a Norristown high school junior, on Feb. 12 as they extinguished a fire in his father's North Coventry Township apartment.

Investigators previously suggested that the killer made mistakes that would lead to an arrest.

On Wednesday, they disclosed that Allen had apparently told his friend, Carter, that he was going to get a few hundred dollars in cash his dad left him at home, the proceeds from a tax return.

Carter is accused of going with Allen, taking the money, slitting his throat, stabbing him 20 times and then dousing his body with cooking oil before setting it on fire, authorities said.

Investigators found transit surveillance video that shows the duo going to Pottstown, then Carter coming back on the bus, checking his hands and counting money. Prosecutors also showed off weapons that they say were left at the murder scene.

Carter was arrested Tuesday and charged with murder, arson, robbery, causing a catastrophe, criminal mischief, possessing instruments of crime, recklessly endangering another person and abuse of a corpse.

The 20-year-old was denied bail at an arraignment, and a preliminary hearing has been set for March 7.