Authorities say a second-story railing broke after one man pushed another during an argument.

COATESVILLE, Pa. — A 53-year-old Coatesville man has been charged with third-degree murder after police said he pushed another man into a second-story balcony railing, causing both men to fall to the pavement and killing the victim.

Neftali Feliciano-Perez is accused in the death of Moises Galarza-Bermudez, who was found Saturday night on a sidewalk in the 700 block of East Lincoln Highway with head trauma and no pulse, authorities said. The case moved quickly from an emergency call to a homicide prosecution, with Chester County officials saying an argument at an apartment became a fatal fall. Feliciano-Perez was arraigned and held at Chester County Prison after failing to post $750,000 bail.

The encounter happened about 9:51 p.m. April 18 at an apartment building in Coatesville, a small Chester County city west of Philadelphia. Police said Feliciano-Perez and Galarza-Bermudez were at Galarza-Bermudez’s apartment when the two men began arguing on a second-story balcony. The argument turned physical, investigators said, when Feliciano-Perez pushed Galarza-Bermudez into the railing. The railing broke, and both men fell from the balcony to the pavement below. Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe called it “an altercation that got out of control” and said his thoughts were with Galarza-Bermudez’s family and friends.

Officers responding to the East Lincoln Highway address found Galarza-Bermudez on the sidewalk. Authorities said he had suffered head trauma and had no pulse when police arrived. He was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Feliciano-Perez remained at the scene, according to reports citing police and prosecutors. Investigators said they determined he had pushed Galarza-Bermudez through the railing and off the side of the apartment building. Officials have not released Galarza-Bermudez’s age, and they have not said what started the argument or whether either man had been drinking before the fall.

The criminal complaint cited by prosecutors describes a brief but deadly sequence: two men arguing on a balcony, a push into the railing, the railing giving way, and a fall to the pavement. The charges against Feliciano-Perez include third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. Police have not released a full account of what witnesses saw or heard before the fall. They also have not said whether surveillance video, 911 calls or building inspection records are part of the investigation. The railing itself may become a key piece of evidence as prosecutors and defense attorneys examine how the fall occurred.

Third-degree murder in Pennsylvania generally covers killings that are not charged as first-degree or second-degree murder but are still alleged to have involved malice. The filing of both third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter counts gives prosecutors more than one legal path as the case moves forward. Involuntary manslaughter focuses on a death caused by reckless or grossly negligent conduct. The assault and reckless endangerment counts cover the physical act that prosecutors say led to the fall. Feliciano-Perez has not been convicted of any crime in the case, and the charges remain allegations unless proven in court.

The location of the fall adds a public-facing dimension to the case. East Lincoln Highway is one of Coatesville’s main corridors, with homes, apartments and businesses along stretches of the road. A fatal fall from a second-story balcony would have drawn police, emergency medical crews and bystanders to a visible part of the city late on a Saturday night. Officials have described the site as the victim’s apartment, making the case not only a public safety response but also a death at a home. Authorities have not said whether other residents in the building were displaced or whether the balcony was later secured.

Coatesville police are leading the investigation with help from Chester County detectives and the district attorney’s office. Investigators asked anyone with additional information to contact Detective Jose Colon or the City of Coatesville Police Department. That request suggests police were still gathering accounts after the arrest, including possible statements from neighbors, people inside the building and anyone who may have been nearby on East Lincoln Highway when the fall happened. Prosecutors are expected to rely on the criminal complaint, officer observations, medical findings and any witness statements during the early court phase.

Feliciano-Perez was arrested, arraigned and committed to Chester County Prison after he was unable to post bail. His preliminary hearing was scheduled for April 29. At that type of hearing, prosecutors generally must show enough evidence for charges to proceed to county court, though it is not a trial and does not decide guilt. A judge may hear testimony from police or other witnesses, review the complaint and determine which counts should move forward. Defense counsel may challenge the strength of the evidence, the legal basis for the murder charge or the account of how the push and fall occurred.

The case also leaves several facts unresolved. Authorities have not publicly described the relationship between Feliciano-Perez and Galarza-Bermudez beyond placing them together at Galarza-Bermudez’s apartment. They have not released the victim’s age. They have not said whether Feliciano-Perez was injured in the same fall or treated afterward. They also have not explained whether the railing broke because of force from the push, preexisting weakness or both. Those details may matter as the case develops, because the prosecution must connect the alleged push to the death and to the level of intent required for each charge.

The next milestone is the court process in Chester County, where the case could be sent forward if a judge finds enough evidence. Feliciano-Perez remained jailed on $750,000 bail, and police said the investigation into Galarza-Bermudez’s death was continuing.

Author note: Last updated May 18, 2026.