$5K reward offered in search for suspect accused of killing pregnant woman in Upper Merion

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Rafiq Thompson, 38, of Philadelphia is wanted in connection to the fatal shooting of a 31-year-old woman in Upper Merion.

UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP, Pa. - A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect accused of fatally shooting a woman in Upper Merion on Friday night.

According to authorities, the shooting took place at an Exxon gas station before 11 p.m. on North Gulph Road and West Dekalb Pike.

Police say officers arrived on scene and found the victim, who was later identified as 31-year-old Tamara Cornelius, lying in the gas station parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds.

She was transported to Paoli Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 11:09 p.m., according to authorities.

Officials say the investigation revealed that Cornelius and the suspect, 38-year-old Rafiq Thompson, were in a prior relationship and had met up briefly before she went to have dinner at The Cheesecake Factory.

According to investigators, Thompson followed Cornelius as she left the restaurant at 10:15 p.m., walked to the parking garage and then drove to the Exxon gas station.

Police say as she was pumping gas, Thompson got out of the car, spoke to her and shot her.

He continued to shoot her as she tried to get away, authorities say.

The Montgomery County District Attorney announced Monday that an additional homicide charge after an autopsy revealed Cornelius was pregnant at the time of her death.

"This was a chilling murder of a young woman and her unborn child," District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said. "We will be filing an additional homicide charge against the defendant-Murder of an Unborn Child."

A $5,000 reward is being offered for information on the whereabouts of Rafiq Thompson. He is accused of fatally shooting a pregnant woman in Upper Merion.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call Montgomery County Detectives at 610-226-5553 or Upper Merion Police at 610-265-3232.