Man charged with the murder of a 93-year-old veteran inside his Philadelphia home
The District Attorney's Office charged a suspect in the murder of Lafayette Dailey, a former military man stabbed multiple times in his home
The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office announced Monday that he has filed charges against Coy Thomas, 53, for the murder of Lafayette Dailey, a 93-year-old military veteran, who was found dead in his home in early December.
According to authorities, Dailey was He was stabbed repeatedly in the chest and head, and suffered a traumatic brain injury, injuries that caused his death.
The Discovery of the Crime
Police conducted a welfare check at Dailey's residence around 3:00 pm on December 5, after family members and staff at a senior facility living reported that they had not heard from him for almost two days.
Upon arrival, officers noticed that the victim's vehicle, a white Chrysler 300, was missing and detected clear signs of a struggle inside the home. Dailey was found unconscious inside the property.
Suspects, Flight, and Theft
According to the investigation, after the attack, the suspect allegedly fled in the veteran's car, which he later sold for $900, and attempted to make unauthorized transactions with the victim's debit card.
Security camera footage shows a man entering Dailey's property on December 3rd at approximately 11:00 am and, minutes later, leaving in the elderly man's vehicle.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
Coy Thomas faces charges of murder, robbery, possession of an instrument of crime, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and receiving stolen property. The preliminary hearing was set for December 29, 2025. Assistant District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski assured that the office will do everything possible to ensure the accused is held accountable for this terrible crime. Official Reactions: State Senator Sharif Street lamented the incident and stated that "it should not happen that a 93-year-old man, a pillager of his family and community,"That he was murdered so cruelly in his own home." For his part, District Attorney Larry Krasner highlighted the collaboration between the community and law enforcement,noting that it has been key to the historic reduction in homicides currently being recorded in Philadelphia.