A Christmas Day altercation turned deadly in North Philadelphia when a woman allegedly stabbed a man she accused of stealing her cell phone. According to 6abc, 27-year-old Maynasia Wilkerson is charged with murder and other related offenses in the death of 38-year-old Ernest Pickett.
The incident occurred around 8 p.m. on the 2600 block of Germantown Avenue. Surveillance video from inside the Germantown Convenience Store caught Pickett allegedly taking a phone that was charging by the gaming machines. Philadelphia Police assert that Wilkerson, after identifying the loss, chased Pickett outside, confronted him, and in the ensuing skirmish, is said to have stabbed him in the neck. She was arrested after Pickett attempted to run but later collapsed and was pronounced dead on the scene.
As per NBC Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Police Department reported that the victim was found with a neck wound and declared deceased by medics shortly after their arrival. A weapon was recovered at the scene and the woman taken into custody. Police encourage anyone with further information about this case to reach out to the Philadelphia Police Department's Homicide Unit or the anonymous tip line listed on their website.
In a statement obtained by 6abc, Pickett's mother, Debra Bethea, mourned her son, "I miss my son. I really miss my son. That was my rock." Simultaneously acknowledging their son's imperfections, the Pickett family stated he did not deserve his untimely death. "My baby got taken on Christmas from me. It's a hard pill to swallow, but I'll get through it," Bethea added. Court records cited by PHL17 disclosed that both individuals involved had prior arrest records, with Wilkerson's including aggravated assault, theft, and robbery.
The District Attorney's Office has yet to release a statement concerning Wilkerson's legal representation. Meanwhile, the police investigation is ongoing, with detectives likely working to piece together the chronology of events that escalated to the tragic loss of life on a day that otherwise symbolizes peace and goodwill.
