Man killed with bizarre 12-inch dagger

A man was killed in Upper Darby this morning by another man who used a 12-inch dagger emblazoned with a serpent, wings and a deformed face to stab his victim 12 times, police said.

Around 3:30 a.m. this morning, police were called to South Cedar Avenue where they found a man in his 30s with eight stab wounds to his chest, two to his his back and two to his arms, said Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene but a witness was able to describe the suspect to police, who later found the alleged assailant hiding barefoot about three blocks away from the scene, police said. He is expected to be charged with murder.

Chitwood said the unusual murder weapon - with it's 12-inch blade and four-inch decorated handle - was found by officers outside the crime scene once daylight broke.

The victim, assailant and witness are all Guatemalan and the stabbing is believed to have followed an argument the two men had over money, Chitwood said.

The identity of the victim is not being released until family notificaiton is made and the identity of the suspect is not being released until he's officially charged, police said.