Suspect In Lower Merion Killing Turns Self In: Authorities

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA — The Philadelphia man wanted for murder after authorities said he fatally shot another man near St. Joseph's University has surrendered to authorities.

Tyreese Quinerley, 39, of the 2700 block of Dover Street in Philadelphia, turned himself in to Lower Merion Police and Montgomery County Detectives just before 2 p.m. Tuesday, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office said.

Authorities said Quinerley shot and killed Jefferson Shackford, 39, who lived unhoused in Northwest Philadelphia, on City Avenue and Cardinal Avenue in Lower Merion Sunday night.

Quinerley will be arraigned later Tuesday on charges of first-and third-Degree Murder, as well as person not to possess a firearm and possession of an instrument of crime.

According to authorities, the killing happened just before 11 p.m. Sunday.

A Lower Merion Police officer responded to a 911 call placed by Quinerley, who was on scene when the officer arrived.

Quinerley told police that he almost hit the victim, so he stopped to help the man, the DA's office said. The officer identified Quinerley and allowed him to leave, which was recorded on the officer’s bodyworn camera, according to the DA's office.

As EMTs prepared Shackford for transport to the hospital, they found that he had a gunshot wound on this side and on his arm. Shackford was taken to Lankenau Medical Center, where he died.

Lower Merion Township Police and Montgomery County Detectives launched a joint investigation into the homicide.

Through surveillance video and two eyewitness accounts, investigators learned that Quinerley’s green Chevrolet Express van was driving erratically and speeding on City Avenue when it stopped for a red light at City Avenue and Cardinal Avenue. While the traffic was stopped, the driver of the van got out of the vehicle at about 10:45 p.m., stood near the center of the roadway and fired two gunshots into his vehicle, authorities said.

A few minutes later, surveillance video showed Quinerley dragging Shackford out of the van and putting him on the sidewalk, according to authorities.

Both witnesses said the man was wearing gray sweatpants and provided a description to police that matched Quinerley’s description, the DA's office said.

About 30 feet from where the victim was found on the sidewalk, detectives found a cellphone from a secured, fenced construction area and were able to determine that it belonged to Quinerley.

Call detail records showed that the cellphone recovered on Shackford’s body had been communicating multiple times on Saturday, with Quinerley’s cellphone, the DA's office said. Quinerley’s phone records also showed that just after he called 911, he was talking with a female, who was interviewed by detectives, according to authorities.

She confirmed she was talking with Quinerley while the police were on scene, and that Quinerley and Shackford knew each other from "the neighborhood," authorities said.

Additionally, the 911 phone call recording was obtained and in it, Quinerley called the victim "Creek" multiple times as if he knew him, the DA's office said. Shackford went by the name "Creek" and had a tattoo of "King Creek" on his stomach.