The Philadelphia Police Department announced on Monday that two people were charged with murder in the horrifying death of local massage therapist Peter Gerold, 70. Defendants are Taray Herring, 47, and Jeanette Pace, 42.
DNA from the victim’s house matched recovered body parts, cops said in a statement obtained by Law&Crime.
Police previously said that they were dispatched to a burglary on February 11 involving a U-Haul truck. They found the vehicle, and stopped it. The driver was a 43-year-old man. The passenger was a 47-year-old later identified as Herring.
“The vehicle pulled over, and as soon as the officers got out of the car, the driver of the U-Haul just came right out the door and said, ‘I don’t want anything to do with this,’ and ‘There’s a body in the back,’” said Sgt. Eric Gripp, describing the events in a statement to WPVI.
Cops said they found a torso in the vehicle. Remains were found in dumpsters. Some of the remains–hands and feet found in trash bags–were deep fried, according to a law enforcement source cited by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Herring and Pace were previously charged together with Pace’s boyfriend Rafique McNichols, 39, in the related burglary case. Gerold was not immediately identified as the victim, but people correctly assumed the worst, considering that it happened at his home.
Police have not been able to identify the dismembered body but are working under the premise the victim is the owner of this home. Neighbors ID him as Peter Gerold … Neighbors say he was kind , gentle and offered work around his property often to those down on their luck … pic.twitter.com/S0VOgqv3Ge
— Annie McCormick (@6abcAnnie) February 11, 2021
Herring’s attorney Derek Steenson declined to comment when Law&Crime reached out. Pace’s lawyer, and McNichols’ attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
[Screengrab via CBS Philly]
