Robert Edmond Davis: 19-year-old suspect charged in connection to Josh Kruger's murder
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: A man has been charged with the murder of one of the most eminent and respected journalists in Philadelphia whose works ranged from sleeping on the street to working for the mayor to writing columns on the city’s most pressing social issues.
Robert Edmond Davis, 19, now faces murder, weapons counts, and related charges in the death of Josh Kruger, 39, who was fatally shot at his Philadelphia home on October 2.
A warrant had been issued for Davis four days later, and authorities have said they have video of him in the area of Kruger’s home before the shooting.
When was Davis arrested?
Davis was arrested at his South Philadelphia home Wednesday night, October 25, as per Fox News reports.
Authorities are still not sure why Davis committed the crime but that the pair were in a relationship. It was also not clear Thursday if Davis has retained an attorney.
His mother, Damica Davis, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that if her son did kill Kruger, there’s no excuse, noting, "It’s tragic what happened, but I feel like my son is a victim in this, as well."
Shocked and saddened by Josh Kruger’s death. He cared deeply about our city and its residents, which was evident in his public service and writing.
— Mayor Jim Kenney (@PhillyMayor) October 2, 2023
Our administration was fortunate to call him a colleague, and our prayers are with everyone who knew him. https://t.co/dnRxQ0Ic3W
Josh Kruger was shot seven times
Kruger was shot seven times at about 1:30 am and collapsed in the street after seeking help, police said. He was declared dead at a hospital a short time later.
The tragic murder was felt deeply at City Hall and among people involved in the many causes he cared about- addiction, homelessness, HIV and LGBTQ+ advocacy, journalism and bicycling, to name a few.
"One of the worst parts of being homeless in urban America is feeling invisible. When people don’t recognize your humanity, you begin to question it yourself," he wrote in a 2015 column for The Philadelphia Citizen, just three years after he himself slept outside a law firm near Rittenhouse Square.
In more recent columns, Kruger criticized City Council members as cowards for banning supervised injection sites in most parts of the city, dismissed debates about politically correct language regarding homelessness, and delved into the city's collective grief over the sudden death of Temple University's acting president, JoAnne Epps, last month.
He also handled social media for the mayor and communications for the Office of Homeless Services from about 2016 to 2021. Kruger left city government to focus on writing projects. He wrote at various times for Philadelphia Weekly, Philadelphia City Paper, The Philadelphia Inquirer and other publications, earning awards for his poignant and often humorous style.
Kruger is described on his website as a "militant bicyclist" and "a proponent of the singular they, the Oxford comma, and pre-Elon Twitter."