The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office revealed on Monday that charges have been filed against a suspect in connection with the brutal murder of an elderly military veteran in his home.
Lafayette Dailey, aged 93, was savagely attacked with multiple stab wounds to the chest and head in early December, as reported by local law enforcement and the Homicide and Non-Fatal Shootings Unit. According to Fox 29 Philadelphia, Dailey had served in the military.
The accused has been identified as 53-year-old Coy Thomas. Investigators claim that following the violent act, Thomas escaped in Dailey’s car, subsequently sold it, and tried to use the veteran’s debit card.
He is now facing multiple charges, including murder, robbery, possession of a weapon, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and theft of stolen property.
Officials reported that Lafayette Dailey, 93, fell victim to a fatal stabbing incident in Philadelphia in early December.
Concerned about Dailey’s welfare, Philadelphia police conducted a check at his home around 3 p.m. on December 5. Upon their arrival, officers noted that Dailey’s white Chrysler 300 was absent from the premises.
Authorities said there were clear signs of a struggle inside the veteran’s home, Fox 29 reported. According to the Philadelphia Police Department, Dailey was found unresponsive with lacerations to the chest and head inside the home. The District Attorney’s Office added that Dailey had suffered head trauma and was “fatally stabbed multiple times in the chest.”
“It shouldn’t be the case that Mr. Dailey, a 93-year old who is a staple to his family, friends, and community, is murdered so callously and senselessly right in his own home,” Senator Sharif Street of District 3 said in a statement.
Coy Thomas has been charged in the brutal slaying of an elderly veteran in Philadelphia. (Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office)
Officials said Dailey had not been seen or heard from for nearly two days. His niece reportedly notified police on Dec. 5, and staff at the senior center he regularly attended also confirmed his absence.
Authorities said surveillance footage showed a suspect walking onto the victim’s property on Dec. 3 around 11 a.m. Roughly 10 minutes later, the suspect was seen entering Dailey’s vehicle and driving away.
Officials described the suspect as a black male wearing a black jacket, white hoodie, red sweatpants and white sneakers.
A white Chrysler 300 parked outside a home in Philadelphia. (Philadelphia Police Department)
Detectives said attempted unauthorized transactions were made using the victim’s debit card on Dec. 8, three days after Dailey was found. The victim’s vehicle was located on Dec. 9 and was reportedly sold to a man for $900.
A preliminary hearing for Coy Thomas is scheduled for Dec. 29th, 2025.
Lafayette Dailey, 93, was found with multiple lacerations to the head and chest. (Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office)
Assistant District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski of the Homicide and Non-Fatal Shootings Unit said in a statement that the officials will do their best to hold Thomas “accountable for this terrible crime.”
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner added that the exceptional work of the community, public servants and law enforcement has been key “to the historic decrease in homicides Philadelphia is experiencing today.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the District Attorney’s Office and the Philadelphia Police Department for more information.
