A simmering domestic argument on a Saturday afternoon in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, tragically escalated, leaving a 41-year-old woman and her mother dead. On July 25, 2020, Latiya Clea was shot and killed in her home on Green Valley Road. The violence that erupted that day also claimed the life of her 75-year-old mother, Mekenda Sanders. The couple's two young children, ages 5 and 10, were home at the time but were unharmed.
The dispute reportedly began when Latiya's husband, 57-year-old Frederick J. Clea, became angry about a missing magazine for his handgun. In the ensuing argument, he fatally shot his wife and mother-in-law. An autopsy would later reveal that Latiya Clea suffered five gunshot wounds, while her mother died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.
When Cheltenham Police officers responded to a 911 call about a domestic disturbance, they were met at the door by Frederick Clea, who reportedly told them he 'went too far.' Inside the residence, they discovered the bodies of Latiya Clea and Mekenda Sanders. A Glock semi-automatic handgun was recovered at the scene. Frederick Clea was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder, third-degree murder, and possessing an instrument of crime.
During his trial, prosecutors argued that Frederick Clea made a conscious decision to kill the two women. His defense attorney contended that the killings were not premeditated but rather a result of rage that erupted in the heat of passion. Ultimately, a judge convicted Frederick Clea on two counts of first-degree murder and immediately sentenced him to two life terms in prison.
