Accomplice testifies in murder trial against man accused of killing, dismembering elderly Northeast Philly masseuse

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The prosecution’s star witness took the stand today in the murder trial of a Philadelphia man three years ago. Some of his remains were found in the back of a U-Haul truck stopped by police.

Jeannette Pace told the jury that it all started when defendant Taray Herring called her back in February 2021 asking for help selling exotic birds on the dark web.

Herring is charged with first degree murder in the death of 70-year-old Peter Gerold, a masseuse who lived in Northeast Philly and owned several birds and reptiles. Pace was also charged but pleaded guilty to third degree murder and related charges months after the killing.

Pace recounted how when she and Herring arrived at Gerold’s house in Northeast Philly, Herring told her to tase Gerold. She tried to do it, but it didn’t work and that’s when Herring pounced on Gerold, getting the victim into a chokehold and on the ground to tie him up.

“Why are you doing this to me? I was good to you,” is what Pace said Gerold kept asking Herring during the confrontation.

Herring then pulled a knife on Gerold’s dog, demanding credit and debit card pin numbers.

Pace told jurors she then left the home to get money with the cards, and upon her return, she saw Gerold dead with ligature marks around his neck and his nose nearly cut off.

In the days that followed, Pace pulled in her boyfriend Rafique McNichols to help them find cash and other valuables in the home — to feed their heroin addiction.

The defense attempted to poke holes in her story by suggesting that McNichols was the real killer, but Pace refuted saying she was telling the truth.

“It’s what happened,” she said.

The trial is expected to wrap up on Wednesday with testimony from homicide detectives.