Man convicted of the twisted murder and cover-up of his alleged homosexual lover

A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania man charged with the brutal murder of his alleged same-sex lover has been sentenced to life in prison.

On September 30, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office announced that 23-year-old Kylen Pratt had been convicted of first-degree murder for killing 20-year-old Naasire Johnson in 2022.

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Johnson took an Uber from his family’s home to Pratt in the early morning hours of Feb. 17, 2022, where Pratt shot him in the neck shortly after arriving, according to the district attorney’s press release. Pratt then transported Johnson’s body to a secluded path in Philadelphia’s Fairmont Park, where he attempted to burn the body.

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Johnson’s remains were found the next afternoon and later identified through DNA analysis.

An anonymous tip led investigators to focus on Pratt. After gaining access to the suspect’s cell phone records, police were able to place Pratt with Johnson at the time of the murder, as well as in the park where his body was found. A search of Pratt’s home also revealed carpet padding and hardwood floors soaked in Johnson’s blood, a significant portion of the carpeting that had been heavily bleached, and a semiautomatic pistol that police were able to link to the murder.

Pratt’s cellphone records also showed Google searches for coverage of the murder, as well as searches for “traits of a psychopath,” “having sex with dead bodies,” and “killing in cold blood.”

Pratt was arrested in June 2022. In addition to first-degree murder, a jury also convicted him on September 27, 2024 of abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and criminal possession of a criminal offense. He was sentenced to life in prison. without the possibility of parole, along with a consecutive prison sentence of four and a half to nine years.

Prosecutors had argued that Pratt killed Johnson to cover up their relationship.

“Make no mistake: the murder of Naasire Johnson was a hate crime,” Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney Cydney Pope said in a statement. “Kylen Pratt did not want anyone to know about his romantic involvement with the victim.”

Interfaith Community Minister Sultan Hakeem Pitts noted in a statement that crimes like Pratt’s affect entire communities.

“LGBTQIA people, especially Black and brown people, are disproportionately affected by these hate crimes, causing deep and lasting mental health issues for our community,” Pitts said. “And while this moment brings a small form of closure, no amount of punishment can fully heal the pain caused by Naasire’s tragic death. He was and is a full-fledged person and more than just a name, with love, with light, with intelligence and with potential. His death has left an indelible mark on our hearts.”

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