A Coatesville man is jailed on $750,000 bail after a deadly fall from an apartment balcony.
COATESVILLE, Pa. — Prosecutors in Chester County have filed a third-degree murder charge against a Coatesville man after a balcony argument ended with another man falling to the pavement and dying from head trauma.
The case against Neftali Feliciano-Perez, 53, centers on what investigators say happened during a fight at an apartment in the 700 block of East Lincoln Highway on April 18. Authorities said Moises Galarza-Bermudez was pushed into a second-story railing, the railing broke and both men fell. The victim later died at a hospital. Feliciano-Perez was taken into custody, arraigned and sent to Chester County Prison after he could not post $750,000 bail.
The charging decision gives the case its legal frame before many public details have emerged. Feliciano-Perez faces third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. Prosecutors will have to show not only that he pushed Galarza-Bermudez, but also that the act supports the level of criminal liability alleged in the complaint. District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe described the incident as “an altercation that got out of control” and said the office was thinking of Galarza-Bermudez’s family and friends. Feliciano-Perez is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Police were called to the apartment building shortly before 10 p.m. on a Saturday. When officers arrived, they found Galarza-Bermudez lying on the sidewalk with head trauma and no pulse, authorities said. Emergency responders took him to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Feliciano-Perez was still at the scene, according to reports citing prosecutors. Investigators later said the men had been arguing on the balcony of Galarza-Bermudez’s apartment and that Feliciano-Perez pushed him into the railing, causing it to break. Authorities have not released the victim’s age or a detailed motive.
The third-degree murder count is the most serious charge listed in the case. In Pennsylvania, that charge is used for unlawful killings that prosecutors say show malice but do not fit first-degree murder, which involves an intentional killing, or second-degree murder, which is tied to certain felonies. The involuntary manslaughter count gives prosecutors a separate theory based on recklessness or gross negligence. The difference could become important later, because a jury or judge may be asked to sort out whether the alleged push was malicious, reckless or something less. The defense may argue about intent, causation and the condition of the railing.
The physical evidence may be central. Prosecutors say the railing broke after Galarza-Bermudez was pushed into it. That means investigators may examine the balcony, the broken railing, the height of the fall and the place where the men landed. They may also review photographs, measurements, medical records and any statements from people nearby. Officials have not said whether there were cameras pointed at the balcony or street. They have not said whether a building inspection, maintenance history or property record has been reviewed. Those unknowns leave open questions about how much force was involved and what the railing could withstand.
The location is also important because the death happened outside a residence but in public view. The 700 block of East Lincoln Highway sits along a major route through Coatesville, where apartment buildings and businesses line parts of the corridor. Police responding to a fall from a second-story balcony would have had to secure the sidewalk, check for injuries and preserve a scene that included both the victim and the damaged balcony above. Reports say both men fell, but authorities did not publicly describe any injuries to Feliciano-Perez. That gap may become part of the record if medical or officer testimony is presented in court.
At a preliminary hearing, prosecutors normally present enough evidence to show that a crime was probably committed and that the defendant is probably connected to it. The hearing is not meant to decide guilt. In this case, the prosecution may call an officer or detective to describe what police found, what witnesses said and what the complaint alleges. The defense may question those points and challenge whether all charges should move forward. If a judge holds the counts for court, the case would continue in the Chester County Court of Common Pleas, where formal arraignment, motions and plea or trial discussions could follow.
Because the public account remains brief, the charging documents and future hearings may supply key missing facts. Authorities have not said how long the men argued, whether anyone tried to separate them or whether either man lived alone. They have not described their relationship or explained why Feliciano-Perez was at Galarza-Bermudez’s apartment. Police also have not said whether the fall was witnessed from inside the apartment, from the street or by neighbors. Those details could shape how prosecutors tell the story and how defense attorneys respond. For now, the case rests on the allegation that a push during an argument caused a fatal fall.
The district attorney’s office and Coatesville police said the investigation was continuing after the arrest. Police identified Detective Jose Colon as a contact for information, a sign that authorities were still seeking people who might have seen or heard the altercation. In cases built around a fast-moving fight, witness timing can matter. A person who heard shouting may help establish the length of the argument. A person who saw the push may help describe force. A person who reached the sidewalk first may help confirm what happened before officers arrived. Those accounts may become part of the court file.
Feliciano-Perez remained jailed on $750,000 bail as the case moved through its first stage. The next public step was the preliminary hearing scheduled for April 29, where a judge was expected to decide whether prosecutors had enough evidence to keep the charges moving.
Author note: Last updated May 18, 2026.