It took 8 years for arrests in Bristol Township murder, but suspects were known years ago

The day Herbert Lyals was found shot dead outside his cousin’s home, the names of his suspected killers were already known in the tight-knight Bristol Township community.

Folks who live in the "Terrace" in Green Lawn Park off Beaver Dam Road here, know each other well. They grew up together, have lived in the neighborhood for decades and neighbors often have some family connection.

“Everybody knew it then,” said Lyals mother, Iris Brewington, this week. “It was the same two people.”

But it took eight years and two grand jury investigations to bring charges against two Philadelphia men who have ties to the area where the shooting happened.

John Marquis Wilson, 43, and George Javon Clark, 33, allegedly killed Lyals less than an hour into his 38th birthday in a robbery attempt, according to a grand jury, which provided the first details in the July 27, 2016  murder of a man that family said never bothered anyone.

In its April 4 presentment, the panel recommended charging the men with murder, conspiracy, robbery and other offenses. It was the second time the case went before a secret panel, according to the 25-page document.

Two men charged in 2016 cold case Two men arrested for 2016 murder in Bristol Township. What we know now.

Clark allegedly shot Lyals in the face and chest after Wilson, a childhood friend of Lyals, lured him outside of a family member’s home on Truman Street, according to the presentment.

Authorities allege that Wilson was initially supposed to shoot Lyals, but refused.

Family described Lyals, a father of three, as kind, happy, generous, caring and playful.

Her son had his faults like everyone, Brewington said. He loved to gamble. He was always at the casino. He was lucky, too.

“He would win money, Lord,” Brewington said.

Lyals had several thousand dollars on him when he was murdered, police said.

He had also been robbed before, his mother said, including the night before he was killed.

Nearly four hours before he was found dead outside his cousin’s house, Lyals called his mother and told her that someone put a gun to his head and robbed him, she remembered.

Brewington said she begged her son to please come to her home. She had bought the fixings for tacos for his birthday dinner, which was the next day.

But Lyals didn't seem worried. He was celebrating with family.  He wasn’t in a hurry to leave, his mother recalled.

What police allege happened on Truman Street in Bristol Township

It was shortly before 1 a.m. when someone called Lyals twice. After the second time, Lyals appeared annoyed, and he told someone he’d be right back, authorities said.

Immediately after he stepped outside, two loud pops were heard, according to authorities.

Family members went to investigate and found Lyals on the ground dead with his cellphone beside him. He had been shot in the face and chest.  Two 9-millimeter casings were found near his body.

Someone picked up his phone and called back the last number, but no one answered.

Bristol Township police soon learned that Lyals received calls and text messages on July 26 from a phone number associated with a brother of John Marquis Wilson in the hours before the murder.

At least one text message was from someone named “Mar” who authorities say is John Marquis Wilson. A second text from the same number shortly before midnight asked Lyals for a ride.

Lyals was shot at 12:45 a.m. on July 27, police said.

After the shooting, authorities allege Clark and Wilson fled to the nearby home of a female family member of Wilson, and she and another man drove them to Philadelphia, the presentment said.

When police interviewed Wilson in 2016, he claimed he first heard Lyals was dead from a friend who called him around 1:30 a.m. when he was on his way home to Philadelphia,

Nearly an hour later, Wilson sent a text message to Lyals’ cellphone telling him he found a ride home; authorities believe the text was an attempt to divert attention, the presentment said.

When detectives reviewed phone records, they found six calls between Lyals and the phone associated with John Marquis Wilson’s brother between midnight and 12:45 a.m.

In a recorded police interview in 2016 Wilson admitted that he had his brother’s phone and he was communicating with Lyals on the night and morning of the murder.

In February, Wilson recounted before the grand jury his story about getting a ride from a family member, and that Clark might have been in the car with him, the presentment said.

Wilson denied involvement in the murder of Lyals, who he called nice, nonviolent, laid back and a close friend, but he also refused a polygraph test, according to the presentment.

George Clark appeared twice before the grand jury and testified that he knew Wilson in 2016, but denied calling him the night of the murder and he knew nothing about the murder, but also refused a polygraph test.

Bucks County Detective David Hanks, though, testified that phone records put Wilson near the Truman Street home when he called Lyals a few minutes before the shooting, the presentment said.

Four minutes later, records show that Wilson’s phone got a call from Lyals' phone that police believe was the family members calling the last number on his phone, the presentment said.

Phone records also dispute Clark’s testimony that he did not call Wilson the night of the murder.  Records show 15 calls between the two men between July 26 and July 27, 2016  with the first call shortly after 10:30 p.m.

Multiple witnesses who appeared before a grand jury in 2018 testified that they were told Wilson and Clark went to Truman Street to rob Lyals who was known to have money, according to the 2024 presentment.

One witness testified Wilson called Lyals claiming to need a ride home because they believed he had the money in his car.

If Herbert Lyals knew you, he'd give you whatever you needed.

The news that authorities have made arrests in the murder of his older brother has been bittersweet for his family,  his brother, Travis Lyals, said.

The family is not looking forward to reliving that horrible night. Especially since John Marquis Wilson is someone the family knew since they were children growing up in Bristol Township.

After the murder, rumors swirled that Wilson and Clark were responsible, and Travis Lyals said he forwarded the information to detectives.

“That part is bitter,” Lyals said.  “But we are happy the individuals were arrested and hopefully held accountable.”

Travis Lyals called his brother an “extremely caring and kind” person, who, if he knew you, he would give you whatever you needed.

“Bristol was always home to him. Those who know him, know what kind of person he was,” Travis Lyals added. “He wouldn’t harm or hurt anything.”

Her son’s death has been hard for the family, especially his three children, the youngest who turns 13 this year,  Brewington said.

“There was no reason for them to take from him. He would have ended up giving them what they asked for,” Brewington said. “Whoever shot him in the face, I want them to go to hell.”

Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Arrest comes 8 years later in Herbert Lyals murder in Bristol Township