Three men have been charged in the murder of a young Philadelphia man in the Ardmore section of Lower Merion Township following a failed “ghost gun” deal.
Micah Colbert, 19, of Ardmore, and Elijah Smith, 21, of Philadelphia, were both arrested and charged with murder, robbery and other related offenses. Dorian Harris, 21, of Ardmore, was also arrested and charged with illegally transferring a firearm.
On Saturday around 3 p.m., police responded to 122 Ardmore Avenue for a report of an unconscious man in a car. When they arrived they found 19-year-old Layth Evans of Philadelphia in the driver’s seat of a Nissan suffering from a gunshot wound to the face. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Investigators found $500 cash on the driver’s side floorboard as well as a spent Hornady 9mm shell casing from the backseat floor of the car. Investigators determined two men arranged a meeting with Evans in order to buy a “ghost gun” from him. A “ghost gun” is a firearm assembled from parts and is untraceable since it does not have a serial number.
During the meeting, Colbert allegedly used Harris’ Glock firearm to shoot and kill Evans.
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On Saturday around 6 p.m., Harris walked into the Lower Merion Police Station to report that his Glock 19 semi-automatic weapon had been taken and used by his roommate, Colbert, according to investigators. Harris then turned over the weapon in a red backpack to detectives. Through video evidence and eyewitness accounts, police confirmed Harris was not present at the shooting. Police also said they recovered Evans’ ghost gun from Colbert and Harris’ bedroom.
All three suspects are awaiting arraignment by a district judge who will set bail for Harris. There is no bail available for first-degree murder charges meaning Colbert and Smith will be remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility.
