ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A Lehigh County judge on Wednesday upheld all charges — including homicide and attempted homicide — against a man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend this summer in her city apartment.
Adam Makowka, 28, of South Whitehall Township, also will face multiple charges of aggravated assault, according to a news release from the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office.
He has been held in Lehigh County Jail since his July 22 arrest, hours after 22-year-old Jerkera Battle was fatally shot in the hallway of her apartment in the 700 block of West Turner Street.
A witness inside the home told police Makowka entered the apartment through the roof access door, officials said. The roof was accessible via the fire escape.
Authorities allege Makowka repeatedly shot Battle with an AR-15 rifle before pointing the gun at a man in Battle's bedroom, towards her infant son.
The man grabbed the weapon as Makowka fired; Makowka dropped the rifle and fled after running out of ammunition, according to court documents.
Surveillance footage recorded Makowka arriving outside Battle’s apartment about 3:45 a.m. July 22 in his Honda Civic wearing a sweatshirt and carrying a rifle case. He's seen running out the front door of the building without the sweatshirt or case, which were recovered on the building's roof, police said.
Makowka was extradited to Lehigh County after being arrested around 6:30 a.m. that day in a park in Lansdowne, Delaware County.
Lehigh County Coroner Daniel Buglio has ruled the death a homicide.
Makowka’s trial has not yet been scheduled.
