A Philadelphia man was charged Tuesday with killing a resident of Middletown Township’s Levittown section earlier this month.
Keith Lamont Blount, 59, of Philadelphia, was charged with criminal homicide, murder of the first and third degree, and related-firearms charges. He is currently being held without bail and will be transferred from Philadelphia Department of Corrections custody to that of Delaware County authorities.
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Blount is accused of shooting Bartholomew “Bart” Masciulli, 51, of Levittown, dead on the afternoon of Friday, October 7 near the FedEx distribution center by Philadelphia International Airport in Tinicum Township, Delaware County. Masciulli has worked for FedEx for 28 years, according to Delaware County authorities.
“Upon arrival, officers located a silver Jeep Patriot occupied by the victim. The victim was suffering from gunshot wounds to his face, and he was pronounced deceased at the scene by staff from the Chester Crozer Medical Center. The scene was secured, and five 9mm fired cartridge casings were located approximately 50 feet behind the vehicle,” Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer’s office said in a statement.
Delaware County District Attorney’s Office and Tinicum Township police detectives took on the case and spoke with witnesses.
Credit: Delaware County District Attorney’s Office
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“The witness stated that the male actor stepped back from the vehicle, pulled a firearm, and fired five rounds into the silver Jeep. The actor the entered a Honda Accord and fled the scene. A second witness reported seeing a black male approach the silver Jeep as it was preparing to leave the parking lot. The witness observed the individual point his right hand into the window and then the witness heard five shots. Another witness stated that he knew the defendant, and that the defendant had recently been in training to become a driver, and the victim was a driver training instructor. The witness was able to positively identify the defendant from a photo array,” the statement from authorities said.
FedEx documents reportedly showed Masciulli had evaluated Blount for a driver job on August 29 and September 2. After the evaluations, Masciulli did not approve the defendant to be a FedEx driver.
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From information gleaned from nearby security camera footage, investigators learned a Honda Accord was in the area in the hours before the shooting. The vehicle was linked to Blount, authorities said.
On October 7 as Delaware County authorities investigated the shooting death, they advised surrounding departments that they were seeking the Honda, authorities said.
“At approximately 5:45 p.m., the defendant opened fire on two Philadelphia police officers traveling in a marked patrol vehicle at 3300 North 10th Street. Four additional officers responded and observed the defendant in the middle of 10th Street armed with a firearm. The defendant fired on the officers, and the officers responded, wounding the defendant,” authorities said.
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Blount was taken to Temple University Hospital for treatment.
Police said they determined the same 9mm Ruger handgun was used in both shootings.
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Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office has already charged Blount with five counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault, simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person, and other related offenses.
“Every homicide is a tragedy, but it is particularly shocking when this level of violence occurs in a place that we want to believe is safe – our workplaces, our schools, our houses of worship. The victim in this case had been an employee of FedEx for 28 years, and he had been assigned to evaluate the readiness of a fellow employee to become a driver for FedEx. When the defendant did not receive a positive evaluation, he decided to retaliate in the worst way possible. In committing this senseless act, he has forever deprived a family of their loved one, and he has shaken the community to its core. To compound the depravity of this act of violence, when the defendant recognized that his apprehension was imminent, he opened fire on Philadelphia Police officers. His actions are reprehensible. We will work to ensure that he is held responsible to the full extent of the law,” said Stollsteimer, the Delaware County district attorney.
Credit: PA Internet News Service
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Masciulli was a husband and father to three. He had just celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary.
His obituary notes he was a hard worker, loved sports, and was competitive, winning prizes for many years in the National Truck Driving Competition.
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“Bart had an infectious personality and could make friends anywhere. He was the best karaoke singer around and made sure everyone knew it. He was the life of the party, and he will be sincerely missed by many,” the obituary reads.
Masciulli’s daughter, Devan Masciulli, a meteorologist at a TV station in Illinois, recently shared that her dad would have loved to see the Phillies again in the World Series.
A GoFundMe account for the Masciulli family has been set up and has raised more than $15,000. A second fundraiser has netted $9,400.
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“Bart leaves behind his three kids and wife. Bart was the primary breadwinner in the family, as his wife Mary is still currently on disability due to health-related issues,” the fundraising appeal reads.
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