Broderick Malik Jones Roberts, 20, was indicted last week for aggravated robbery, felonious assault and having weapons under disability for allegedly shooting Jaspreet Singh, 32, of Monroe.
Singh has since died of his injuries, and prosecutors said they will now seek a murder indictment against Roberts.
Roberts’ attorney David Washington entered a not guilty plea on his client’s behalf and acknowledged a murder indictment is expected next week.
Washington asked for reasonable bond, but prosecutors noted the seriousness of the crime and Roberts’ past criminal history.
Judge Jennifer McElfresh set bond at $1 million. Bond was previously set at $125,000 in Hamilton Municipal Court. Roberts is scheduled to be back in court May 31.
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Singh suffered a gunshot wound to the upper torso on May 12, according to a Hamilton Police report. He died Monday, according to Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser.
Roberts allegedly shot Singh “while he sat in his vehicle on the Chestnut Avenue side of 502 East Ave., ” according to court documents. The shooting occurred at about 10:30 p.m. May 12.
Manjinder Singh, a friend of Singh who is not related to him, said his friend was a devoted father and husband who leaves behind four young children.
Jaspreet Singh was a native of India who had been in the U.S. for about eight years, according to his friend.
“He was very well know and well liked in the Sikh community,” Manjinder Singh said, noting his friend helped manage area stores but must recently was employed as a truck driver.
Jaspreet Singh was active at the Guru Nanak Society in West Chester Twp., he said.
“It is just senseless,” Manjinder Singh said. “There is no way he would have engaged in any type of wrong activity. He would have just walked away.”
Roberts was sent to prison in 2016 after pleading guilty to trespass, unlawful restraint and assault, according to Butler County court records.
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