Suspect in Milan Loncar killing in Brewerytown was released from jail 2 weeks prior on reduced bail

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The man identified as a suspect in the killing of a recent Temple graduate, who was shot while walking his dog, had been released from prison on reduced bail just two weeks prior.

Police say 25-year-old Milan Loncar didn't put up a fight when two people approached him Wednesday evening in the Brewerytown section of Philadelphia while walking his dog.


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After his pockets were rifled through, Loncar was fatally shot.

The man arrested, 20-year-old Josephus Davis, lives just a few blocks from the scene of the crime in Brewerytown.

Police say Davis was arrested just two hours after the murder, allegedly driving a car reported stolen in a separate carjacking.



While four others ran off, investigators took Davis into custody. Police say his clothing and description match up with the surveillance footage in Loncar's murder.

Davis was let out of prison on December 29 after paying reduced bail.
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Davis was charged with a separate violent carjacking of an Uber driver and paid $2,000 bail after a judge reduced the bail from $100,000 to $20,000.

For allegedly assaulting and threatening a corrections officer while in custody, Davis paid $1,200 reduced bail after a different judge reduced bail from $20,000 to $12,000.

In all, he paid a total of $3,200.

WATCH: Vigil held in honor of man killed while walking dog in Brewerytown


We spoke to Jane Roh, a representative of District Attorney Larry Krasner's office, on Monday. Roh says in this case assistant district attorneys argued for higher bail amounts but were denied by the two presiding judges.



Roh says there needs to be more information presented in bail hearings and more defendant history information made available to the judges.

We spoke to defense attorney Chuck Peruto, who was not involved directly in these cases. Peruto says he often sees assistant district attorneys regularly vying for the highest bail possible when it comes to gun charges - often $999,999.
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That, he says, can dissuade judges to set high bail.

"You can't uniformly - and not look at the case - ask for high bail, because you're not going to get it all of the time. Ask for it when it's needed," Peruto said.

SEE ALSO: Mother speaks out after Temple grad killed while walking dog in Philadelphia


Roh said Davis will not be granted bail throughout his trial as this is a violent murder case.



Philadelphia police say they have identified a second person of interest in the murder of Milan Loncar, but have not yet released a name.