A 14-year-old girl became the second suspect to face murder charges Wednesday after allegedly beating a 73-year-old man to death with a traffic cone.
The Philadelphia Police Department released surveillance footage of a group of four male and three female teens beating 73-year-old James “Simmie” Lambert Jr. to death on June 24 at 2:38 p.m., the department confirmed to the Daily Caller. The group struck Lambert with several objects, causing an injury to the head.
Lambert died from his injuries in the hospital the next day, police said.
Gamara Mosely, 14, turned herself into the Homicide Unit as a person of interest at approximately 11 a.m. Wednesday, the department said. She is charged with third degree murder and criminal conspiracy.
#BREAKING: 14YO Gamara Mosely has been charged as an adult with Third Degree Murder and Criminal Conspiracy in connection to the deadly attack of 73YO James Lambert Junior. @PhillyPolice released her photo because she is being charged as an adult @FOX29philly pic.twitter.com/NZARuDrLkK
— Kelly Rule (@KellyRuleTV) July 14, 2022
Police first arrested a male suspect, 14-year-old Richard Jones, on July 11 who faces the same criminal charges as Mosely. Jones’ 10-year-old brother, who initially turned himself in, has been released and is not facing charges at this time, Fox 29 Philadelphia reported. (RELATED: Philadelphia Teens Beat Elderly Man To Death With Traffic Cone)
Police allege that Mosely hit Lambert in the head twice with a traffic cone and possibly more times off camera, the outlet reported. Her attorney, Lonny Fish, asked that the public hold off from judging the teenager and that her mother hopes for her to attend a school inside a juvenile facility.
“My client is 14 years of age. I would ask that everyone hold judgment,” Fish reportedly said.
A 13-year-old girl involved in the attack initially turned herself in but was released after investigators reportedly determined she did not cause Lambert’s death, her attorney Donte Mills said, according to Fox 29 Philadelphia.
“She took a stand in that moment, and in fact, tried to push people away,” Mills said. “She tried to stop them from attacking Mr. Lambert.”
The City of Philadelphia is offering a $20,000 reward for any leads to the arrest of the suspects, the department told the Daily Caller.
The number of homicide victims in Philadelphia reached 290 as of July 13, just slightly below the 297 victims counted at the same date the previous year, according to the police department. The city had a total of 562 homicide victims in 2021.
