Bensalem teen faces 15-40 years after pleading guilty to killing 12-year-old girl

BENSALEM, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- The Bensalem teen who killed a 12-year-old girl and then confessed to another teen will spend 15 to 40 years in prison.

Ash Cooper, who used to go by Joshua, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder Thursday in the shooting death of Morgan Connors. The murder happened in the Top of the Ridge Trailer Park back in November 2022.

During a video chat on Instagram, Cooper allegedly showed a female acquaintance the body of the victim covered in blood.

Cooper also allegedly asked that friend to assist with disposing of the body.

That girl told her mom, who called police.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Cooper told police, "it was an accident ... '[he's] sorry' and that he's 'going to jail for the rest of his life.'"

The affidavit also states that during an interview with Cooper's mother and police, Cooper claimed at one time he was in a sexual relationship with the victim.

Police say there was substantial evidence that someone tried to clean up the crime scene.

Neighbors say they heard a gunshot but didn't think anything of it at the time.

"I was going to invite the kid over for turkey dinner because his dad was hunting that day," neighbor Gary Seeley told Action News.

According to Bensalem police, Cooper told investigators that he was cleaning out his dad's safe and sorting through the guns and ammunition before the 13-year-old girl was dropped off at his home.

Cooper claims the girl went to the bathroom and that's where detectives say she was killed.

"The kid seemed harmless. I know he had problems you know. I thought he was a danger to himself if anything," Seeley previously said.

The coroner's office said the Connor's cause of death was a gunshot wound to the neck and upper chest area.