Man, 25, charged in shooting death of homeless person
A 25-year-old man has been charged with homicide in the shooting death of a homeless man last month in Coatesville, Chester County officials announced Monday.
A 25-year-old man has been charged with homicide in the shooting death of a homeless man last month in Coatesville, Chester County officials announced Monday.
Lenn T. "Butter" Tucker Jr., of Philadelphia and Coatesville, was arrested Friday on charges that include first-degree murder and weapons offenses.
The Chester County District Attorney's Office had offered a $2,500 reward for information. Police reviewed video recordings, used crime-scene forensics to reconstruct the shooting, and talked to "many" witnesses, the office said.
On Aug. 26, 24-year-old Alex J. Hartzell, a Pottstown native, was shot 11 times in the head, chest and limbs. Police found his body at about 6 a.m. in the backyard of a home on East Chestnut Street in Coatesville. Hartzell occasionally stayed in homeless shelters in the city, prosecutors said.
Based on video recordings, police said the assailant met the victim on a street corner, then followed the victim to a home's backyard. When the victim turned, Tucker shot the victim at close range. While the victim was on the ground, Tucker stood over him and shot him several more times before walking away.
A witness told police that Tucker had sold drugs in the area and had not been back since the shooting. Two years ago, Tucker pleaded guilty in Chester County to a felony drug charge.
Another witness identified Tucker as the gunman from a photo array.
Tucker told police during an interview on Friday that he walked behind the victim on a street the morning of the shooting, but he said four other people were in the yard at the time. Police said a video recording shows only the victim and a gunman.
Tucker was denied bail and is in Chester County Prison. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 19.
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