DNA Evidence Leads to Arrest in Whitemarsh Attempted Murder Case

Written by Mischa Arnosky

Police arrested a man last week they say was involved in the shooting and attempted murder of a 32-year-old man in the Lafayette section of Whitemarsh last year. 

Whitemarsh Police detectives, with the help of Philadelphia Police, arrested Frank Artis, 42, of Philadelphia on July 26 in the 2700 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue in Philadelphia. According to Whitemarsh Police, DNA left at the 2012 shooting helped identify Artis.

According to police, someone shot the 32-year-old man in the abdomen several times on Aug. 21, 2012 at about 9:30 p.m. in the 4100 block of Joshua Road as he exited his vehicle with a woman from the Germantown section of Philadelphia. He was able to escape and the shooter and the woman escaped in a car parked on Joshua Road.

The victim’s mother drove him to Chestnut Hill Hospital, and he was later transferred to Temple University Hospital for treatment and spent several weeks in the hospital.

The Pennsylvania State Police analyzed four .380-caliber bullet casings and DNA from a baseball hat worn by one of the suspects left at the scene. The information identified a potential DNA match and Artis was identified as a suspect.

Police said Artis admitted to his role in the Aug. 21, 2012 shooting. 

Artis was arraigned on conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated assault, and robbery charges. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for later today in front of District Justice Deborah Lukens.