Domestic dispute turns deadly

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“He believes he’s the father and he wasn’t happy about that news,” Capt. James Clark of Homicide Division said of Aaron Fitzpatrick at a press conference this afternoon at Police Headquarters, 750 Race St.

Fitzpatrick, 19, of the 700 block of Tree Street, is believed to have been dating Tiffany Gillespie, 24, of the 2300 block of South Mildred Street for several months, Clark said. Early this morning, Fitzpatrick visited his pregnant girlfriend at her home that she shared with her two young children, her mother, possibly her mother’s boyfriend and one or two other relatives.

Police believe the two, who, Clark said, have had a “tumultuous relationship,” may have gone down to the basement to chat when Fitzpatrick allegedly shot her once in the head and fled from the home.

Police had been called to Gillespie’s home for domestic disputes previously, the captain said. Officers returned to the location at 2:40 this morning and medics pronounced Gillespie dead 14 minutes later.

“We knew she had a lot of ongoing issues with her boyfriend, so we focused on him right away,” Clark said.

Police brought Fitzpatrick in for questioning at noon and were awaiting the District Attorney’s Office to formally charge him with at least Gillespie’s murder upon completion of her autopsy.

“We don’t know how many months pregnant she is,” Clark said. “We’re still waiting for the Medical Examiner’s report to come back.”

*Feb. 23 Update*

Fitzpatrick has multiple addresses on his record including the 700 block of Tree Street and the 2000 block of South Garnet Street, but was processed under 2000 block of South Eighth Street location.

He was charged with murder, first-degree murder of an unborn child, possession of an instrument of crime and firearm violations, according to court records. He is being held in Northeast Philly’s Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility without bail.

Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.

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