Murder cover up earns prison time for Chester man
MEDIA COURTHOUSE >> A 19-year-old Chester man was sentenced to time served to 23 months with one year of consecutive probation for his role in attempting to cover up the June 8 shooting death of Tyree Brenton.
Wade Hammond pleaded guilty last week before Delaware County Common Pleas Court Judge Mary Alice Brennan to charges of tampering with evidence and illegally carrying a firearm without a license under a negotiated plea worked out by Assistant District Attorney Matt DeNucci and Laura Covey Laszewski.
Brenton was found by Chester police at 2:24 p.m. that day lying on his back on the front porch at 2018 Madison St. with a single gunshot wound to the chest. He was transported to Crozer-Chester Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead 24 minutes later.
Hammond was arrested with 18-year-old Lorenzo Perez the following day. Chester Police Chief James Nolan told the Daily Times in June that Perez was the shooter and Hammond helped him hide the gun.
Perez was charged with first- and third-degree murder, criminal homicide and tampering with evidence. He pleaded guilty to thirddegree murder in March and was sentenced to 15 to 30 years.
Nolan told the Daily Times following their arrest that Perez gave multiple accounts of what happened and Hammond was not much help in deciphering the events leading up to the shooting. Perez offered no new details at his sentencing and Hammond did not comment last Monday.
Hammond previously posted 10 percent of $75,000 bail and has been living under electronic home monitor at his aunt and uncle’s home in Wilmington, Del., according to Laszewski.
He was credited with time served from June 9 to Feb. 3. Brennan recommended that probation to be transferred to Delaware.