Teen confesses to killing 13-year-old girl during Instagram video chat, Bensalem police say
The coroner's office said the teen's cause of death was a gunshot wound to the neck and upper chest area.
BENSALEM, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A 16-year-old allegedly confessed to a friend during a video chat on Instagram that he killed someone, police in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, said.
According to police the suspect, identified as Joshua Cooper, allegedly chatted via video with a 16-year-old female acquaintance on Friday and told her about the crime.
That acquaintance told police that Cooper flipped the video camera around and showed the feet of the 13-year-old victim covered in blood.
Cooper allegedly asked that friend to assist with disposing of the body.
The girl told her mom who immediately called police.
Police say officers went to Cooper's home at the Top of the Ridge Trailer Park on Gibson Road, and as they approached they say a juvenile male - later identified as Cooper - run out the back of the trailer.
The body of the victim, so far only identified as a juvenile female, was found on the floor of the bathroom with an apparent gunshot wound.
Cooper was later found a short distance from the trailer park.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, Cooper said, "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," said neighbor Gary Seeley.
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," said Seeley.
The coroner's office said the teen's cause of death was a gunshot wound to the neck and upper chest area.
Cooper was taken to a juvenile detention center with no bail.
He is facing several charges including Criminal Homicide, Possessing Instruments of Crime and Tampering with or Fabricating Physical Evidence.
