The highly anticipated premiere of Oxygen’s “Philly Homicide”is set for this Saturday, October 26. The series will delve into several prominent homicide cases in the Philadelphia area, including the notorious case of Maurice Day. Convicted for the murder of Chester police Corporal Michael Beverly, Day is currently serving a life sentence behind bars.
“Philly Homicide”will feature ten gripping episodes, each lasting one hour. The show will include archival footage, interviews with detectives, and dramatic reenactments portraying ten separate homicide cases that have captivated the local community.
So far, Oxygen has disclosed information regarding the first three episodes, which focus on the murders of a police officer from Chester, a radiology technician from Center City, and a chiropractor from Bensalem. The series is hosted by Lieutenant Chris Mullen from the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office and will air new episodes every Saturday at 9 PM.
Who is Maurice Day? What is his current situation?
On October 16, 2001, Chester police Corporal Michael Beverly was discovered shot to death in the Highland Gardens area of Philadelphia. A year later, on October 12, 2002, authorities apprehended Maurice Day in connection with the murder. Reports from the time indicated that Beverly’s body was found ten feet away from his unmarked police vehicle, with his service firearm still holstered.
At the time of his fatal shooting, Beverly was serving as a night shift supervisor. Investigators revealed that he had made a stop at a nearby restaurant to pick up dinner for Edwina Cottman, Maurice’s mother, whom he had formed a friendship with.
Maurice Day was reportedly linked to the Boyle Street Boys, a local drug gang, and came under scrutiny from his peers due to the frequency of Beverly’s visits to his mother’s home. Prosecutors argued that he shot Beverly during the delivery of food to silence the ongoing mockery and taunts he received, as stated by Deputy District Attorney James Mattera.
In March 2004, Maurice Day was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. During his trial, Mattera asserted that Day had set up an ambush for Beverly. Michelle, Beverly’s twin sister, expressed that her family “accepted the jury’s verdict.” Day remains incarcerated, serving his life sentence.
Afterward, Maurice sought to overturn his conviction, but his appeal was rejected by Delaware County Senior Judge Charles C. Keeler. Assistant District Attorney Michelle Hutton, who argued against the appeal, asserted that the claims regarding ineffective counsel were without basis.
According to a Daily Times report, during his trial, Maurice Day made an unsuccessful escape attempt through an opening in his jail cell at the courthouse but was recaptured within minutes by deputy sheriffs. The same day, he was convicted of first-degree murder. The jury could not reach a consensus on the death penalty, leading to Judge Keeler sentencing him to life without parole instead.
Remembering Michael Beverly
At the time of his tragic death, Michael Beverly was just 36 years old, leaving behind a wife and five children. He is remembered fondly as a “dedicated officer” and a “tough street cop who made honorable arrests,” as noted by Wendell N. Butler Jr., the Chester Police Department commissioner. His funeral saw approximately 1,000 mourners from over 80 police departments pay their tributes.
During the night of his murder, Beverly was on duty but did not communicate his location to headquarters or inform colleagues of his plans that evening, indicating that he was likely unaware of any danger.
Tune in tomorrow to Oxygen to explore the unsettling murder case of Michael Beverly.
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