Police investigate two homicides

Philadelphia police are investigating three apparently unrelated homicides committed in North Philadelphia yesterday.

In the first, Gregory Lyles, 23, of the 3100 block of Shedwick Street was peppered with gunshots to the neck and chest. The shooting occurred between 2:15 and 2:30 a.m., apparently near Seventh and Willow Streets or Eighth and Willow, just north of Chinatown, police spokeswoman Tanya Little said.

She said the exact location of the shooting would require further investigation because Lyles arrived at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in a Dodge Charger driven by men who dumped his body at the hospital, abandoned the car, and fled.

Police did not have a motive for the shooting and are treating the car as evidence.

"They left the vehicle," Little said. "That was good for us."

About 15 minutes later, in the 3600 block of Lawrence Street near Hunting Park, Nestor Rodriguez, 26, was discovered lying on the street, unresponsive. The reason for his unconsciousness was not immediately apparent to medics, Little said.

Doctors at Temple University Hospital discovered a single gunshot wound to his back. He was pronounced dead at 3:16 a.m.

In the third case, officers responded to a report of gunshots at 1:12 p.m. on Cumberland Street. They found Allen Jones, 31, lying in the road near Bouvier Street.

Jones, of the 1300 block of West Silver Street, was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he died at 2:41 p.m. of multiple gunshot wounds.

Detectives said they had no suspects and no motive in the shooting.