Forty-four-year-old Lamar Beatty was charged Tuesday with falsifying reports to police.
Police said 26-year-old Amber Long was fatally shot Sunday night when she and her mother were robbed in the city's Northern Liberties neighborhood.
Investigators said Beatty's call led authorities to bring in two men for questioning. Both men were released after police determined they had nothing to do with the slaying and Beatty was arrested.
Police have not revealed whether they have any new suspects in the case.
The killing happened at 10:37 p.m. Sunday in the 900 block of North Front Street.
Long was walking with her mother after attending an art show at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
They had taken the El to the Spring Graden Street Station to retrieve Amber's car from her boyfriend's.
They were talking on North Front Street when they were jumped by two men. One of the men grabbed the purse of Amber's mother, Stephanie Long, while another man tried to grab Amber's purse.
Amber resisted, Stephanie Long said, and the suspect shot her in the chest. Amber was rushed to the hospital but was later pronounced dead.
The two robbers jumped into a dark-colored or black Chevrolet Impala driven by another man and disappeared.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Philadelphia Police at 215-686-TIPS (8477), text a tip to PPD TIP (773847) or through PhillyPolice.com.
