Decomposing body found in E. Germantown near scene of similar 2012 discovery

Philadelphia Police responded to the discovery of a decomposing body in East Germantown and a fatal shooting near West Oak Lane within several hours of one another Wednesday night.

Around 8:30 p.m., in the 5200 block of Magnolia St., a body tightly wrapped inside a blue carpet that was bound by rope in a wooded area was discovered.

Police were initially unable to determine age, race or gender of a victim who was likely dead for at least three days, according to Chief Inspector Scott Small.

The gruesome discovery was made a quarter of a mile from where 27-year-old Candace Holmes was found fatally strangled, wrapped in a bed sheet and left in a vacant lot in May 2012. It was never determined how long before the May 28 discovery that Holmes was killed.

Officer Christine O’Brien, a police spokeswoman, said Thursday morning that the case remains unsolved.

The investigation is ongoing.

Fatal shooting

Then, just before midnight, police responding to the 1400 block of E. Sharpnack St. found a 40-year-old man who had suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the back.

Medics pronounced the man, whose identity was not released but police believed to be from East Germantown, dead at the scene at 12:02 a.m. Thursday.

According to police, at least five shots were fired from a semi-automatic handgun; shells found within feet of the body suggested that the victim was shot at close range.

While Small said that no motive was established, neighbors reported hearing an argument just prior to the shooting.

In the overnight hours, investigators combed the crime scene in the heavily residential neighborhood and sought witnesses and possible surveillance footage in the immediate area.