In May 2003, the city of Philadelphia was rocked by the brutal murder of 16-year-old Jason Sweeney. The shocking details of the crime and the young ages of the perpetrators made national headlines. One of those involved was Dominic Coia, who was 17 at the time. Nearly two decades later, many wonder where Dominic Coia is now and what became of the other teens responsible for this heinous act.
The Murder of Jason Sweeney
Jason Sweeney was a well-liked 16-year-old who lived in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia. On May 30, 2003, he made plans to meet up with 15-year-old Justina Morley, a girl he had recently started dating. Unbeknownst to Jason, Justina was conspiring with three other teenage boys to lure Jason to a remote area near the Delaware River known as “The Trails.”
When Jason arrived, he was ambushed by Justina’s accomplices – 16-year-old Edward Batzig Jr. (Jason’s best friend since 4th grade), and brothers Dominic Coia, 17, and Nicholas Coia, 16. The group proceeded to brutally attack Jason with a hatchet, hammer, and rock – striking him in the head and face over a dozen times.
The attack was so vicious that nearly every bone in Jason’s face was broken. His skull was split in two. The only way authorities could identify him was through a cut on his hand he had gotten at work. The teens huddled together in a group hug after the murder, with Dominic Coia later telling detectives “It was like we were all happy [with] what we did.”
What Motivated the Killings?
So what would drive these teens to commit such a brutal crime against their friend? The primary motive appeared to be money – the group planned to rob Jason of his recent $500 paycheck. However, the level of violence suggested something more sinister also motivated the attack.
In a disturbing detail, Dominic Coia told police that to prepare for the murder, the group listened to the Beatles’ song “Helter Skelter” 42 times. This was the same song that inspired Charles Manson’s infamous killing spree in 1969. Some speculated the teens may have been trying to emulate Manson.
There were also indications that jealousy played a role. Jason’s father believed the other teens resented that Jason was “moving past them” and wasn’t hooked on drugs like they were. Justina had a history of manipulative and violent tendencies, once writing in a letter that she was a “death-worshiping bitch who survives by feeding off the weak and lonely.”
The Aftermath and Sentencing
All four teens were arrested and charged as adults with first-degree murder. In 2004, Justina Morley pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and agreed to testify against the others. She was sentenced to 17.5 to 35 years in prison.
The Coia brothers and Edward Batzig Jr. were found guilty of first-degree murder in 2005. They were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 22.5 to 45 years for conspiracy, robbery and possessing an instrument of crime. None of the defendants showed any remorse for their actions.
Where is Dominic Coia Now?
Dominic Coia, now 37 years old, remains incarcerated serving his life sentence. He is currently housed at the State Correctional Institution – Phoenix in Collegeville, Pennsylvania.
In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life sentences for juveniles were unconstitutional. This meant that Dominic Coia, along with his brother Nicholas and friend Edward Batzig Jr., were entitled to a resentencing hearing to determine if their life sentences should be modified.
However, in 2015, a judge upheld Dominic Coia’s original life without parole sentence. The judge found the brutality of the crime outweighed any mitigating factors related to Coia’s youth at the time of the murder. The judge stated there were “no factors which remove the defendant from the punishment of life in prison without parole.”
Barring a successful appeal or change in the law, Dominic Coia will spend the rest of his life behind bars for his role in the merciless killing of Jason Sweeney. His brother Nicholas and friend Edward Batzig Jr. are in the same position, also serving life without parole.
Justina Morley, now in her mid-30s, was reportedly released on parole in December 2020 after serving 17 years. Her current whereabouts are unknown.
The murder of Jason Sweeney stands out for its sheer brutality and the callousness of the perpetrators. The fact that the victim considered some of his killers to be close friends makes the crime even harder to comprehend.
For Jason’s parents, who described their son as a “kind-hearted boy,” the pain of their loss will never go away. “You’re never over it,” his father Paul said. “It’s a living nightmare.”
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While Dominic Coia, his brother Nicholas, and Edward Batzig Jr. will likely spend the rest of their lives incarcerated, no punishment can undo the heartache they caused. Their story serves as a chilling reminder of how quickly a young life can be senselessly cut short by those once considered friends.
