Miles Pfeffer, of Buckingham Township, was just 18 when he gunned down Fitzgerald during a foot pursuit on the 1700 block of West Montgomery Avenue on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. Prosecutors say he ignored the officer’s commands and opened fire after a struggle, continuing to shoot even as Fitzgerald lay wounded on the ground.
Authorities say Pfeffer then tried to rob the dying officer of his service weapon and rummaged through his pockets before carjacking a nearby vehicle to flee the scene.
He was arrested at his Quarry Road home by U.S. Marshals the next morning — using the slain officer’s own handcuffs.
Jury Verdict Delivered In Under 30 Minutes
The jury deliberated for less than half an hour before returning the swift verdict: Guilty on all counts, including:
- Criminal homicide of a law enforcement officer
- Robbery
- Theft
- Evading arrest
- Weapons offenses
Judge Glenn B. Bronson sentenced Pfeffer to life in prison without parole, plus a consecutive sentence of 2.5 to 5 years for possessing an instrument of crime, court dockets show.
DA Declined Death Penalty
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner previously announced he would not seek the death penalty, citing “extensive input over many hours” from the Fitzgerald family and legal experts. That decision was condemned by Fitzgerald’s family and the Temple University Police Association, who called it “absolutely devastating.”
Remembering Sergeant Chris Fitzgerald
Sgt. Fitzgerald, 31, was hired as a Temple officer in October 2021. He was a husband, a father of four, and the son of former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Joel Fitzgerald Sr…