Bensalem Teen Asks for Help with Body Disposal on Instagram, Charged with Homicide

A 16 year-old from Bensalem is in jail this morning accused of killing an as yet unidentified victim Friday.

Joshua Cooper was charged and arraigned by Judge Stacy Wertman as an adult with Criminal Homicide, Possessing Instruments of Crime and Tampering with or Fabricating Physical Evidence.

Wertman, denied bail and sent Cooper to the Edison Juvenile Detention Center.’

According to Bensalem Police, received a 9-1-1 call about a possible homicide around 4:30 pm.

The caller said her daughter received an Instagram video chat from a 16-year-old acquaintance (Cooper)  During the video chat, the 16-year-old stated that he had just killed someone.  He then flipped the video image and showed the legs and feet of someone covered in blood.  He then asked for assistance with disposal of the body.

Police were advised Cooper lives in Top of the Ridge Trailer Park located at 1446 Gibson Road, in Bensalem. Police went to check the property and as they arrived, Cooper allegedly ran out of the back of the trailer.  When officers entered the mobile home, they observed a deceased juvenile female on the floor of the bathroom with an apparent gunshot wound.

There were also indications that substantial steps were taken to clean up the crime scene, said Police in a press release.

Responding officers performed a grid search locating Cooper in the area of  Newport Mews Drive and Groton Drive.

Cooper is currently scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing in front of  Magisterial District Judge Michael W. Gallagher on December 7.

Police ask anyone with information about this incident should contact Detective Ryan Kolb at (215) 633-3746 or Detective Shawn Smith at (215) 633-3687 or submit an anonymous tip here

Editors Note: In the initial version of this story Lower Bucks Source misidentified the suspects first name. We regret this error and the story has been corrected to reflect his actual name.