Aaron Deshong, 50, of Perkiomen Township.
Aaron Deshong is accused of the Sept. 24, 2023, fatal shootings of his mother, Wanda, 74, who lived with him, and his brother, Adam, 53, of Devon, Chester County.
A Perkiomen Township man on trial for homicide for allegedly shooting and killing his mom and brother wants a “heat of passion” defense, thus delaying his trial so his lawyer can review evidence for the proposed strategy.
Aaron Eslie Deshong, 50, of the 700 block of Gravel Pike, was set to begin trial this week on charges of first- and third-degree murder, but now lawyer Nicholas Reifsnyder has to review evidence from numerous thumb drives that allegedly documents his client’s relationship with his mother and brother, according to The Mercury.
The report stated that at this week’s pretrial hearing, Reifsnyder needed time to determine if the information could support such a defense, as he did not commit to such a defense strategy and is given materials at Deshong’s request.
Deshong is accused of fatally shooting his mother, Wanda Deshong, 74, who lived with him, and his brother, Adam Deshong, 53, of Chester County, on Sept. 24, 2023.
Per The Mercury, a heat of passion killing does not require specific intent to kill or malice; it is like voluntary manslaughter, which is killing someone without justification under intense passion.
Life imprisonment is mandatory with a first-degree murder conviction, which means the crime was intentional. Deshong faces 20 to 40 years in prison on the third-degree murder charge, which implies he killed with malice (hate) or cruelty.
The trial would last four days, per Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge William R. Carpenter.
Carpenter also appointed lawyer Gregory DiPippo, of King of Prussia, to represent Deshong.
According to the Montgomery County District Attorney, on the day of the homicides, at 5:02 p.m., Pennsylvania State Police responded to Deshong’s home after a male placed a call to an FBI Threat Assessment Center and indicated that he may have hurt his family members.
The FBI relayed the information to Pennsylvania State Police at Skippack, and troopers were dispatched. Police arrived on scene while the caller, later identified as Deshong, was still on the phone with the FBI, authorities said.
Deshong was detained by police, before they entered the home to find a Wanda and Adam Deshong dead in the kitchen, police said.
A Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver, registered to the defendant, was found in the defendant’s basement bedroom closet. The revolver had four spent shell casings in the cylinder as well as two live rounds, police said.
Autopsies on Wanda and Adam Deshong were conducted by Dr. Khalil Wardak of the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office, who determined Wanda Deshong died of a gunshot wound to the head, and Adam Deshong died of multiple gunshot wounds, police said, with the manner being homicide for both.
Deshong remains at Montgomery County jail with no bail, pending trial.
