Joshua Cooper, who is now known by his given name Ash Cooper, was a young man from Bensalem, Pennsylvania, who was given a term of 15 to 40 years in state prison. Cooper was initially charged as Joshua but began transitioning after his arrest. Morgan Connors was gunned down by Joshua Cooper, a teenager who was 16 years old. Morgan was twelve years old. Morgan was discovered lying on her back with her pants wrapped around her ankles. She had been shot in the back. Cooper entered a guilty plea to the charges of third-degree murder, possessing a weapon, and tampering with or falsifying physical evidence in connection with the murder in November of 2022. Cooper had called a friend through an Instagram video chat, claiming that he had just killed someone and asking for aid in cleaning up the crime scene and disposing of the body. Cooper’s actions caused the case to garner a tremendous amount of attention.
“Just Killed Someone”
Joshua Cooper. Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). Indiana, PA. June 26, 2024. Content unknown. SEALED.
Joshua Cooper, also known as Ash Cooper, was involved in a serious criminal case. In March 2024, Cooper pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and related charges for the killing of a 12-year-old girl named Morgan Connors in November 2022. Cooper received a sentence of 15 to 40 years in state prison. The case received significant attention due to the nature of the crime and the fact that Cooper bragged about the killing on Instagram.
Following are the
circumstances of the crime that involved Joshua Cooper, also known as
Ash Cooper:
On November 25, 2022, at 4:11 p.m., the
Bensalem Township Police Department received a 911 call about a
possible homicide at the Top of the Ridge Trailer Park, located at
1446 Gibson Road. Cooper reached out to an acquaintance through an
Instagram video call, confessing to the recent killing and seeking
help to tidy up the crime scene and remove the body. During the video
call, Cooper displayed the bloodied legs and feet of an individual,
later recognized as Morgan Connors. Upon arrival at the scene, law
enforcement discovered Connors’ body on the bathroom floor with a
visible gunshot wound. It was disclosed that Cooper utilized a
firearm from his father’s secured gun safe to shoot the victim. He
gained entry to the safe by replacing the batteries that a parent had
taken out, rendering the combination lock unusable. Cooper pleaded
guilty to third-degree murder and related charges, including
possession of an instrument of crime and tampering with or
fabricating physical evidence.
Joshua Cooper’s motive for the crime he committed remains unknown. During the investigation and legal proceedings, Cooper stated that the shooting of Morgan Connors was accidental. However, Prosecutors have noted that Cooper has not provided a clear motive for the crime. Furthermore, during an interview with Cooper’s mother and the police, a claim was made that Cooper had been in a sexual relationship with the victim at one point. This aspect of the case has added to the complexity of understanding Cooper’s motives.
The background of Joshua Cooper was investigated over the course of the investigation into the crime that he committed. Cooper had just turned 16 years old when he committed the offense that he was accused of. The Top of the Ridge Trailer Park, which is located in Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania, which is a municipality close to Philadelphia, was his place of residence. It was discovered via the investigation that Cooper was able to access the gun safe belonging to his father by replacing the batteries. The batteries had been removed by a parent in order to disable the lock. Prior to the occurrence of this event, Cooper did not have any public records of a criminal background.
Additionally, neither the investigation nor the reports include any in-depth accounts of the past interactions that took place between Joshua Cooper and Morgan Connors. During the course of the court proceedings, it was brought up that Cooper and Connors might have had a sexual relationship in the past. The public documents do not provide any further explanation for this particular aspect of the crime, despite the fact that it was discussed.
Even before the fatal event that occurred with Joshua Cooper, there were some indications that he was engaging in hazardous activity. The court hearing was informed that a neighbor had described Cooper as “seeming troubled,” and this description was reported. The fact that this is the case suggests that there may have been indications of distress or problems in the run-up to the crime. With that being said, the reports did not include any detailed information regarding these behaviors or any other possible warning indicators.
VIDEO: Teen confesses to killing someone during Instagram video chat, police say | https://youtu.be/3astf63f_WA
VIDEO: Court Hearing Abruptly Ends for Teen Accused of Trying to Cover Up Murder on Instagram Call | https://youtu.be/p22TOGqbxAc
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