Cook Township man charged in father's fatal shooting

Pennsylvania State Police charged 28-year-old Cody Lawrence with criminal homicide after his father, 59-year-old Edward Lawrence Jr., was found dead near a Cook Township residence on Lawrence Lane on August 15, 2026. Investigators say the victim had a gunshot wound and two stab wounds; troopers recovered a pistol and a folding knife near the front entrance. Cody Lawrence told police he struggled with his father over a gun and said a pocketknife fell out of his sweatshirt; he was detained, charged and denied bail while the investigation continues.