Police Officer Creates Touching Portrait of James Lambert, 73, Who Was Brutally Murdered with Traffic Cone in Philadelphia

A Philadelphia Police Department forensic artist recently created a portrait of James Lambert, 73, who was brutally beaten to death by a group of adolescents with a traffic cone.

Jonny Castro, who primarily creates portraits of fallen officers, shared his portrait of Lambert on Facebook Tuesday.

The portrait shows Lambert, referred to as “Simmie” by friends and family, dressed dapperly in a suit, cap, and glasses.

Lambert’s niece described her uncle as someone who “dressed with style each and every day,” and took pride in his appearance, Castro wrote.

The 73-year-old man was walking on the 2100 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue at around 2:38 a.m. on June 24 when a group of juveniles approached him and started attacking him.

Lambert had visited his 85-year-old sister for dinner just prior to the attack, according to Castro.

Watch: 

Philadelphia Police / YouTube

As Breitbart News reported on the horrific attack:

In a surveillance video released by the PPD on Friday, the suspects can be seen chasing Lambert – who is blurred – before one of them hits Lambert with a traffic cone. As Lambert is on the ground, where one suspect appears to be filming, a girl is seen picking up the same cone and striking the [73]-year-old.

After being hit twice, it appears that Lambert stands up and starts walking away before the same girl grabs the cone and strikes him again. During the beating, it appears as if the group is laughing while some film the attack with their cell phones.

Lambert was taken to the hospital but did not survive his injuries; he died the following day due to blunt force trauma.

The 73-year-old, who was a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, walked the same route for the past 60 years of his life, according to Castro.

Police believe that seven juveniles were involved in the attack, and three suspects have already come forward.

A 14-year-old boy and a 10-year-old boy turned themselves in to the police on Monday, and a 14-year-old girl turned herself in on Wednesday, WPVI reported. The ten-year-old was later released.

The 14-year-old boy was charged “with murder and criminal conspiracy” as an adult, WPVI noted.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner also indicated that other suspects would be charged with murder as well.

Lambert’s sister, Elsie Stephens, is still distraught over the vicious attack on her brother.

“When my parents died I raised my brothers and sisters. It’s so sad he lived that long and these kids would take his life and beat him like he was nothing in the street,” Stephens told WPVI. “He was trying to get away from them and they ran behind him and beat him like he was nothing.”

The police department is offering a $20,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest or conviction of any others involved in the homicide.

You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.