Instagram Chat Leads To Homicide Charges In Bensalem Township: Police

Updated 10:25 a.m. Saturday

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —A juvenile has been charged as an adult in the shooting death of a female juvenile at a township trailer park Friday afternoon that he told an acquaintance about on Instagram, police said.

Joshua Cooper, 16, is being charged as an adult with one count each of criminal homicide, tampering with and fabricating false information, and possession of a weapon with intent.

Bensalem Township Police received a 911 call about a possible homicide at 4:11 p.m. with the caller stating that her daughter received an Instagram video chat from a 16-year-old acquaintance, police said.

During the video chat, the 16-year-old stated that he had just killed someone. He then flipped the video image and showed the legs and feet of someone covered in blood. He then asked for assistance with the disposal of the body, police said.

Bensalem Police said the 16-year-old, later identified as Cooper, lived in Top of the Ridge Trailer Park located at 1446 Gibson Rd. in Bensalem.

When police went to check the property, the juvenile ran out of the back of the trailer. When officers entered the mobile home, they observed a deceased juvenile female on the floor of the bathroom with an apparent gunshot wound.

There were also indications that substantial steps were taken to clean up the crime scene. Other responding officers conducted a search for the juvenile and a short time later, he was stopped in the area of Newport Mews Drive and Groton Drive, taken into custody and identified as Joshua Cooper.

Cooper was arraigned by District Justice Wertman, denied bail and sent to the Edison Juvenile Detention Center.

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for 9 a.m. on Dec. 7 before Magisterial Judge Michael W. Gallagher.

Anyone with information about this incident should contact Detective Ryan Kolb at (215) 633-3746 or Detective Shawn Smith at (215) 633-3687 or submit an anonymous tip below.