Suspect in murder of man found shot dead near St. Joseph's University turns himself in: officials

PHILADELPHIA - A murder suspect accused of shooting another man and ditching his body near St. Joseph's University's campus last weekend has been taken into custody.

Tyreese Quinerley, 39, is charged with first and third degree murder in the shooting death of 39-year-old Jefferson Shackford on Sunday night.

Investigators say Quinerley initially called police himself, saying he stopped to help Shackford after almost hitting him with his vehicle.

Police allowed him to leave the scene in an encounter recorded on the officer's body camera.

EMTs then found gunshot wounds on Shackford's side and arm. He was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

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Surveillance footage later showed Quinerley "driving erratically and speeding" before stopping at a red light at City and Cardinal avenues around 11 p.m.

Officials say he got out, fired two gunshots into the vehicle, dragged Shackford out of the van, then placed him on the sidewalk.

A cell phone belonging to Quinerley was found about 30 feet from where Shackford was found.

"Call detail records showed that the cellphone recovered on Shackford’s body had been communicating multiple times on April 13, 2024, with Quinerley’s cellphone," the District Attorney's Office said in a release.

Phone records also showed a call with a woman, who confirmed to police that Quinerley and the victim knew each other "from the neighborhood."

Quinerley also called Shackford "Creek" multiple times during the initial 911 call, according to officials.

"Shackford went by the name "Creek" and had a tattoo of ‘King Creek’ on his stomach," the DA said.

Authorities identified Quinerley on Tuesday morning, saying he is being considered armed and dangerous. Prosecutors in Montgomery County said Quinerley turned himself later that day.