Ex-Con From Atlantic City Man Charged in Mother's Murder

An Atlantic City man previously convicted of murder has been charged with the murder of his mother,

Steven Pratt, 46, was charged with murder in connection with the death of Gwendolyn Pratt, 64, of apparent head injuries, early Sunday morning, Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain announced.

Police responded to the 1800 block of McKinley Avenue at 6:29 a.m. Sunday morning. They found Gewndolyn Pratt dead and detained her son, Steven, at the scene,

He was staying with his mother after being released from jail on Friday. He had just completed a 30 year sentence on a 1984 murder conviction. He shot and killed his neighbor when he was 15. He was tried as an adult and convicted of first-degree murder, according to the Huffington Post.

Personnel of the State Medical Examiner’s Office responded to the scene. An autopsy conducted later in the morning determined the manner of death to be homicide, the cause of death: massive blunt head injuries, at which time Pratt was charged.

Pratt was lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility in lieu of $1 million cash bail.