In the late summer of 2016, a fatal shooting in a Williamsport, Pennsylvania, apartment set in motion a multi-year investigation that would untangle a plot of robbery and murder. Christopher T. Wilkins, a 27-year-old male from Philadelphia, was found deceased inside a first-floor apartment on Park Avenue just after noon on Tuesday, August 30, 2016. An autopsy later confirmed that Wilkins had been shot and his death was ruled a homicide.
At the time of his death, Wilkins was subletting the apartment and was allegedly involved in selling heroin and cocaine.
The investigation into Wilkins' death led authorities to four individuals: Joseph Coleman Jr., James Calvin Rooks, Ariel Jane Harlan, and Jamal Brown. The motive behind the killing appeared to be a robbery for drugs and money. According to court records, Jamal Brown owed a drug debt to Joseph Coleman Jr. and was offered forgiveness of that debt in exchange for helping Coleman get into Wilkins' apartment to rob him. On the day of the murder, Brown allegedly ensured the back door to Wilkins' apartment was unlocked, providing access for Coleman and Rooks. Ariel Harlan is said to have driven the men to the location. Coleman, from Williamsport, and Rooks, from New York City, both armed, then entered the apartment. Shortly after they entered, Wilkins was shot in the head at near point-blank range in his bedroom. Another person who was asleep in the apartment at the time of the incident told police they were awakened by yelling, followed by a gunshot, and then saw two masked men fleeing out the back door.
In the years following the murder, arrests were made and charges were filed against the four suspects. In February 2019, Joseph Coleman Jr. and James Rooks were charged with criminal homicide and related offenses. Ariel Harlan, the alleged getaway driver, was charged in March 2019 with criminal homicide, criminal conspiracy, robbery, and carrying a firearm without a license. Jamal Brown turned himself in to the police in July 2019 and was charged with third-degree murder and conspiracy.
In February 2020, Joseph Sentore Coleman Jr. was found guilty on all counts related to the murder of Christopher Wilkins, including robbery and burglary. Following the verdict, he was sentenced to life in state prison. This was one of three life sentences Coleman was serving, as he had also been convicted in a separate double homicide that occurred in October 2016. During his trial, accomplices Ariel Harlan, James Calvin Rooks, and Jamal Brown testified against him, potentially in exchange for plea deals or reduced charges. The prosecution argued that the consistency in the testimonies of the witnesses pointed to Coleman's guilt, while the defense contended that the key witnesses were not believable. Ultimately, the jury deliberated for over five hours before reaching a unanimous guilty verdict.
