Police arrested a South Jersey man in connection with the murder of a Chester County man who was found dead by firefighters inside a burning Old City hotel room last month.
Richard Collins, 20, is charged with conspiracy, theft, abuse of a corpse and other related charges after he allegedly helped accused murderer Herman Burton cover up the killing of 49-year-old Patrick Brady, Philadelphia Police said.
Police said Burton, 22, who sources told NBC Philadelphia was born a male and now dresses as a woman, allegedly robbed, beat and strangled Brady in his hotel room on Oct. 30, then set his room on fire to cover up the crime.
Collins isn’t connected with the murder or fire, police said.
The Bridgeton, N.J. man allegedly helped Burton move Brady’s body, cops said.
It wasn’t clear how police wound up focused on Collins.
Burton was seen on the hotel's security camera dressed as a woman and is known locally as a prostitute named "Peaches," according to authorities.
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He also allegedly used Brady's credit card and had some of Brady's other possessions on him when he was arrested.
Brady was married with a 9-year old daughter, according to The Daily News. Police said he let Burton into his hotel room that night, but they aren't sure what happened right after that, but that "there was an extreme physical altercation."
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