John Andrew Bowes, 27, of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, died on February 15, 1990, from a single gunshot wound to the head inside an apartment on West Chester Pike. Officers found him on the living room floor after a police check; he was pronounced dead about 7:15 p.m. A .357 Magnum was located near his left hand with three spent rounds and three live bullets.

The case unfolded when 27-year-old Paul McKenna, being treated for facial injuries at Delaware County Memorial Hospital, asked police to check on his roommate or friend and surrendered keys to the apartment. McKenna was arrested and charged with criminal homicide, murder, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and possession of instruments of crime; the homicide count was held nonbailable.

Accounts presented to investigators conflicted. McKenna reportedly said Bowes tried to strangle him and the gun discharged during a struggle, causing Bowes to shoot himself. An eyewitness, Dawn Bradley, 23, told police McKenna and Bowes argued, then McKenna raised the gun and fired one shot at Bowes. A preliminary hearing was scheduled in Upper Darby Regional Court.