Teen suspect in murder of Philadelphia journalist Josh Kruger arrested after 3 weeks on the run

The teenager accused of killing Philadelphia journalist Josh Kruger was arrested at his home Wednesday night after evading police for more than three weeks.

Robert Davis, 19, was first identified as a person of interest on Oct. 4. for the fatal shooting of Kruger.

Davis’ mother, Damica Davis, spoke with police on Wednesday and arranged for officers to arrest her son at their home, she told the Philadelphia Inquirer. Prosecutors plan to charge Davis with murder, tampering with evidence and related weapons charges.

Kruger, 39, was shot dead on Oct. 2 at his home. He was remembered by many across the city as an advocate for the oppressed, including the homeless and LGBTQ communities.

Kruger himself was homeless and battled drug addiction for a period of time, before turning his life around and landing jobs with the Philadelphia mayor’s office and various local news outlets. He was lauded as a journalist for his compassion and ability to share stories that often went untold in mass media.

But Davis’ family told a different story, claiming Kruger had started a manipulative and disturbing relationship with their son when he was just 15 years old.

“It’s tragic what happened,” Damica Davis told the Inquirer, adding there was no excuse for murder. “But I feel like my son is a victim in this, as well.”

Police have said any motive for the killing remains unclear, but they did mention that Davis and Kruger are believed to have been in a sexual relationship. Davis’ family has said Kruger attempted to blackmail Davis, threatening to post sexually explicit videos of Davis online prior to the shooting.

Investigators said they discovered explicit messages on Kruger’s phone and turned evidence over to the department’s Special Victims Unit for further analysis.

With News Wire Services