Philadelphia hitman, Ernest Pressley, received five consecutive life sentences on Tuesday for murdering five people. He also attempted another killing and played a role in a mistaken identity hit.
The 43-year-old man was described as a “cold-blooded” and “career murderer.” Pressley pleaded guilty in September to killing four individuals for money, following the orders of a drug trafficker, according to Philadelphia’s US Department of Justice.
The investigation into Pressley began in late 2018 when the Philadelphia Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation joined forces to investigate him for the murder of a man identified in the news as Shawn Small. Surveillance footage showed Pressley near the scene of the crime, and footage from a Philly bar showed him with the victim and several other men the night before the murder.
Pressley also killed two tow truck drivers, according to federal authorities. He targeted Khayyan Fruster to prevent him from testifying at an assault trial. He randomly chose Fruster’s co-worker Eric Robinson to make it appear that the killings were part of a conflict between competing tow truck businesses.
In addition to the first three victims, Pressley also killed a man identified as “M.R.” under the orders of the drug trafficker, according to authorities. He admitted to shooting “C.Y.” to death on July 19, 2016, as the individual sat on the porch of a residence in Philadelphia.
Pressley disclosed the whereabouts of an individual he knew was wanted by a Philadelphia drug trafficker, which resulted in the mistaken identity killing of “Y.H.” on July 24, 2018.
On July 9, 2018, Pressley tried to kill a woman by shooting her in the arm as she arrived home. It was later discovered that her home had been burglarized, and items, including money and jewelry, were stolen. Investigators discovered that Pressley had sold her Rolex watch to a local pawn shop.
The Eastern District of Pennsylvania US Attorney, Jacqueline C. Romero, said that sentencing Ernest Pressley to five consecutive life sentences and removing him from the streets is a prime instance of the US Attorney’s Office and the Justice Department’s commitment to addressing violent crime.