U.S. Marshals say Kadrise Hakeem Patience, 30, vanished before deputies could detain him after a scheduled appearance.
READING, PA — Authorities in southeastern Pennsylvania are searching for a 30-year-old homicide suspect who fled a court building last month before deputies could take him back into custody, officials said Thursday. The Berks County District Attorney’s Office said the suspect, Kadrise Hakeem Patience, was last seen in Norristown after leaving the courthouse.
Investigators say the case stems from a 2021 fatal shooting in Reading. Prosecutors recently won the reinstatement of murder charges against Patience after two earlier dismissals by judges who cited insufficient evidence. A status hearing was scheduled in November, when, according to District Attorney John Adams, Patience showed up at the courthouse, was told he would be remanded, and then disappeared before deputies secured him. The U.S. Marshals Service has joined the search and described Patience as armed and dangerous. The manhunt has focused on communities across Berks and Montgomery counties, with officials saying he has ties in the region and may still be nearby.
On Nov. 13, officials say Patience arrived for a status hearing related to the long-running homicide case. Adams said in an interview that court staff told Patience he would be taken back into custody. “At which time, he was notified that he’ll be taken back into custody, and before he could actually be taken back into custody, he absconded. He fled the building,” Adams said. The courthouse issued an immediate bench warrant. Investigators later tracked tips placing Patience in Norristown, where the U.S. Marshals regional task force canvassed neighborhoods and reviewed surveillance video for leads. As the search widened, authorities emphasized there was no known specific threat to any school or public event but urged residents to report sightings.
Prosecutors allege that on June 17, 2021, Patience and another man, identified in court records as Magnum Morrison, entered the home of Orlando Rodríguez on the 600 block of North 10th Street in Reading during a planned robbery. Rodríguez was shot and later died after being driven to a hospital by his brother, investigators said. Morrison was tried separately and a jury convicted him of conspiracy in connection with the killing. Prosecutors say their evidence against Patience includes surveillance footage, phone records and call logs showing contacts between Rodríguez and Patience in the hours before the shooting. Officials have not disclosed a suspected murder weapon and said some forensic questions remain unresolved. Authorities consider Patience armed and dangerous; he faces counts including first- and third-degree murder, robbery and related charges if captured.
The procedural history of the case is unusual. Patience was first arrested in 2022, but judges later dismissed the homicide charges twice for what they called insufficient evidence linking him to the gun seen in later images. The District Attorney’s Office appealed, and in April the charges were reinstated after higher courts reviewed the full investigative record. Patience remained free on bail while litigation continued. Prosecutors say the court ordered him to appear for the November status conference; after he arrived and learned he would be remanded, he fled before deputies could handcuff him. Adams, the district attorney, called the turn of events “so unusual” and urged Patience to face the charges through the courts.
The U.S. Marshals Service and local police are coordinating interviews, reviewing video from the courthouse area and nearby businesses, and checking addresses connected to Patience. As part of standard fugitive operations, task force officers have examined transportation hubs and monitored social media for verified sightings. Authorities have said there is no evidence he has left southeastern Pennsylvania. Investigators have not announced a reward publicly, and they have not detailed what clothing Patience wore when he fled the courthouse. Officials also have not said how security protocols will change at upcoming hearings, citing ongoing operations.
Records show the Rodríguez killing occurred in a neighborhood of rowhouses north of downtown Reading, an area police have patrolled closely amid periodic gun violence in recent years. Morrison, arrested three months after the shooting, was held at the county jail without bail and later convicted of conspiracy tied to the fatal robbery, according to court records referenced by prosecutors. The appeals over Patience’s charges focused on whether early rulings fully weighed the combined evidentiary picture, including digital records and surveillance clips. When the higher court allowed the reinstatement to stand in April, the case returned to the trial docket, setting up the November status hearing.
From here, prosecutors say the next steps depend on when Patience is caught. Once arrested, he would be arraigned on the reinstated charges and returned to county custody pending further hearings. A preliminary scheduling conference could set dates for discovery deadlines and a pretrial motions calendar. If he is apprehended in another jurisdiction, authorities would initiate extradition. The District Attorney’s Office said it intends to move forward on the homicide counts and related robbery allegations. Officials have not named any additional suspects and say the probe otherwise remains complete.
Outside the courthouse, reactions were restrained but pointed. Adams said the focus is on finding Patience and bringing the case back into court. “This individual is a violent offender. He needs to be taken into custody, he needs to answer for the charges, and we need to protect the safety of our community,” he said. Residents in Norristown and Reading told local reporters they have seen an increased police presence this week as patrols check blocks where the suspect may have contacts. A few storefronts along Main Street displayed printed notices with a Marshals Service photo of Patience, and several neighbors described officers going door to door seeking camera footage.
As of Thursday afternoon, Patience remained at large. Officials said the next update will come after new leads are developed or if an arrest is made. Court administrators said any rescheduled hearings will be posted on the docket once the defendant is in custody.
Author note: Last updated December 11, 2025.