Guilty plea, sentence for murder of young Frankford football star

Almost two years after Christopher Spence was killed in a scuffle at Frankford’s now-closed T&T bar, the man accused of killing him is headed to prison.

Tyrese Ford will spend a minimum of 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree murder.

Spence was shot in February 2011 and died after being transferred from Aria Health-Frankford to Aria Health-Torresdale. A rally was held that week to call for the shut-down of T&T, a known nuisance bar in the neighborhood. Since then, neighbors have made efforts to keep the bar closed and prevent a grocery store from opening in its place.

Ford, then 19, was arrested days after Spence’s murder.

WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal