BERWICK, Pa. — October 20, 2026. A 22-year-old Berwick man is in Columbia County Prison without bail after being charged in connection with a fatal shooting inside a Walnut Street residence last week.

Berwick Borough police allege that Nicholas Peter Romeo forced entry through a rear door of a residence on Walnut Street on the night of October 13. Investigators say he reached the second floor and shot Christopher Cross James, 25, while James was asleep.

The allegations appear in reporting on the police investigation and charges made public Monday, October 19. The circumstances described are accusations, not findings of guilt.

Arrest follows search warrants in Berwick

Police reported that Romeo was apprehended Saturday after Berwick officers, assisted by the Columbia-Montour SWAT team, executed multiple search warrants at another Berwick address on South Oak Street.

Romeo was arraigned before District Judge Craig W. Long on charges of criminal homicide, burglary and tampering with evidence, according to the October 19 account. He was ordered held at Columbia County Prison without bail.

Investigation remains active

Berwick Police Chief Reagan D. Rafferty characterized the investigation as ongoing. The department acknowledged assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police Forensic Services Unit and the Columbia-Montour SWAT team.

Authorities have not announced in the cited report a final determination about all of the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Any future court proceedings may add information beyond the initial police account.

The death of Christopher Cross James is being investigated as a criminal homicide. He was 25 years old. SkookPA News will update this report if verified court or law-enforcement information becomes available.

Public records and next steps

Readers following this case can monitor criminal docket updates through Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System and statements from the Berwick Borough Police Department. Charges are allegations, and Romeo is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Reporting source: Times Leader, October 19, 2026.

Related reading: Practical home-security checklist for Schuylkill County and the surrounding region—an independent preparedness resource, not an implication that any victim could have prevented this crime.