Philadelphia Man Convicted in 2016 Bristol Twp. Murder on Victim’s Birthday

Following a weeklong jury trial, George Clark, 34, of Philadelphia, was convicted recently  of third-degree murder in the July 2016 killing of Herbert Lyals, a father of three, in Bristol Township on the victim’s 38th birthday, said the DA office.

During his closing arguments on Thursday, Deputy District Attorney Thomas C. Gannon, who, along with Deputy District Attorney Chad Kovack, prosecuted the trial, told jurors that Clark, who had lived in the nearby Bloomsdale neighborhood, had heard Lyals had money, so he and an accomplice went to Truman Street that night specifically to rob Lyals. During the commission of the robbery, Clark shot and killed Lyals.

Gannon powerfully underscored the profound loss suffered, telling jurors that Lyals, a devoted father of three, was a caring and peaceful man whose life was violently taken. “He was a “velvet teddy bear,” Gannon said.

Herbert Lyals
Credit: Bucks County DA Office

Following the conviction, Senior Judge Thomas C. Branca scheduled sentencing for a later date. He also ordered a pre-sentence investigation.

Clark was found guilty of third-degree murder, robbery, criminal use of a communication facility, attempted theft, and criminal conspiracy.

His alleged accomplice, John Marquis Wilson, 45, also of Philadelphia, is awaiting trial on charges of third-degree murder, conspiracy to commit criminal homicide, robbery, and related offenses.

Both men were charged on Thursday, April 4, 2024, after an extensive investigation by detectives with the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and the Bristol Township Police Department, along with a recommendation from the Bucks County Investigating Grand Jury.

Authorities say that shortly before 1 a.m. on July 27, 2016, Lyals received a phone call. After the call, he told someone he’d be right back before stepping outside his cousin’s residence in the 5000 block of Truman Street in the Terrace neighborhood where he had been celebrating his birthday with relatives and friends.

Immediately after he exited, two loud pops were heard.

During the trial, several witnesses testified to hearing the gunshots and going outside to find Lyals shot, with his cellphone near his body. Someone attempted to call the last number on Lyals’ phone back, but no one answered.

Lyals was found dead with gunshot wounds to his face and chest, and two 9-millimeter casings were found near his body. Police determined Lyals was shot at 12:45 a.m.

Detectives from the Bristol Township Police Department and Bucks County District Attorney’s Office also testified, painting a precise timeline of the actions leading up to and after the shooting. Their testimony included surveillance footage, cellphone data and pings from cell towers, which meticulously tracked the defendants’ travel that night.

The investigation revealed crucial details about the events leading up to Lyals’ death, including six calls between Lyals and Wilson between midnight and 12:45 a.m. on the day of the murder, and 15 calls and two text messages between Wilson and Clark from 10:36 p.m. on July 26, 2016, and 2:16 a.m. on July 27, 2016.

“We extend our sincere gratitude for the extraordinary work of the Bristol Township and Bucks County Detectives, the Bucks County Investigating Grand Jury and the prosecution team, led by Chief Deputy District Attorney Thomas C. Gannon and Deputy District Attorney Chad Kovack,” said District Attorney Jennifer Schorn. “Their unwavering commitment, especially in utilizing advanced investigative techniques like cellphone data analysis and thoroughly gathering witness testimony, has been instrumental in uncovering the truth and bringing justice to the family of Herbert Lyals, a beloved father senselessly killed on his birthday.”

The lead investigators, Bucks County Detective Eric Landamia and Bristol Township Detective Alex Asmann, were instrumental in both the initial investigation in 2016 and the subsequent re-investigation that led to these charges.