Man convicted of murdering his romantic partner, burning his body in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park, DA says
A 23-year-old man was convicted of murdering his romantic partner in February 2022 in what the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office is calling a hate crime.
Kylen Pratt, 23, received a mandatory life sentence in state incarceration without the possibility of parole followed by a consecutive period of 4.5-9 years on Friday for the murder of 20-year-old Naasire Johnson in 2022, the DA's Office said.
"Make no mistake: The murder of Naasire Johnson was a hate crime. Kylen Pratt did not want anyone to know of his romantic involvement with the victim," said Assistant District Attorney Cydney Pope on Monday.
According to the DA's Office, on Feb. 17, 2022, Johnson took an Uber from his family home in West Philly to Pratt's home on the 2900 block of Oxford Street in Brewerytown.
Shortly after Johnson arrived at the Brewerytown home early that morning, investigators said, Pratt shot the 20-year-old in the neck, killing him, and then brought his body to a remote trail in Fairmount Park where he burned the body.
The DA's Office said two people found Johnson's remains later that afternoon, but authorities were only able to identify the 20-year-old through DNA analysis.
In February 2022, Johnson's grandmother told CBS News Philadelphia that police took her grandson's toothbrush and comb to see if the DNA matched that of a body found along Kelly Drive the week before. His grandmother said she was the one who had reported him missing the week before.
Authorities received an anonymous tip that led them to start investigating Pratt, the DA's Office said. Investigators obtained a warrant, first for Pratt's cellphone, which linked him to Johnson at the time of the murder and also in Fairmount Park.
According to the DA's Office, police also found disturbing Google searches including: "traits of a psychopath," "having sex with dead bodies" and "killing in cold blood," as well as search queries for news coverage about Johnson's remains being discovered.
Investigators later obtained a second warrant for Pratt's home where they found Johnson's blood had drenched the carpet padding and hardwood floor, plus part of the carpet had been heavily bleached. A 9mm semi-automatic gun was recovered that gave investigators forensic evidence linking Pratt to Johnson's death, the DA's Office said.
Pratt was arrested back in June 2022, but convicted on Friday of first-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and possession of an instrument of crime, officials said.
"These types of crimes are not just individual tragedies. They infect entire communities," said Minister Sultan Hakeem Pitts of Interfaith Community. "LGBTQIA people, especially Black and Brown people, are disproportionately impacted by these hate crimes, causing our community profound and lasting mental health challenges."
Pitts continued saying no sentence could ever heal the pain left behind after Johnson's early death.
"He was and is a full person and more than just a name, with love, with light, with intelligence, and with potential. His death has left an indelible mark upon our hearts," Pitts said.