The photograph is said to depict the victim shot in the face and sitting in a chair. In front of the victim is the teen being charged in his death. The recipient of the photograph also allegedly received a message that incriminates the teen in custody.

Reports indicate that the two boys, the victim and his alleged killer, were friends. Even though he is only 16 years old, Pennsylvania prosecutors decided to charge him as an adult. Supposedly, the teen admitted to police that he shot the victim with a gun found in his home. The charges include first-degree murder and criminal homicide, along with one count of a minor possessing a weapon.

Regardless of the the alleged photographic evidence against him, the teen is entitled to the presumption of innocence. Prosecutors will be required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the teen facing criminal charges for the victim’s death is guilty. In preparation for the criminal proceedings, his defense team will undoubtedly review all of the evidence and his contact with police — particularly the circumstances under which he allegedly confessed to the shooting — to identify legal issues to address by motion before the court and to explore all of the options available to achieve an outcome that best serves his interests.