Philadelphia police continue to investigate the cold case of a nun who was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver 20 years ago.
On Jan. 9, 2006, shortly before 6:30 a.m., Sister Paul Mercedes Perreca, IHM, was on her way to church as she crossed the intersection of Cottman Avenue and Hawthorne Street. She was then struck by a pickup truck that was making a left turn from Hawthorne Street.
Witnesses told police the driver of the pickup truck momentarily stopped a block away from the crash before fleeing the scene. The driver never tried to help Sister Paul Perreca who died from her injuries.
With Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, marking the 20th anniversary of Sister Paul Perreca’s death, Philadelphia Police and the Citizens Crime Commission are revamping their efforts to solve the case and are asking for the public’s help.
The hit-and-run vehicle is described as a two-tone red 1987 to 1989 Ford F150 pickup truck. The vehicle had silver running boards, the word “FORD” on the tailgate, and an eight-foot bed with no toolbox or ladder rack at the time.
Investigators also said the vehicle was last seen leaving the scene with a missing or broken front and a driver-side amber lamp.
Sister Paul Perreca was a prominent figure in the Philadelphia community and taught the eight-grade at St. Martin of Tours School.
“Her death left a profound void in the parish and the lives of the many students she mentored,” a Philadelphia police spokesperson wrote.
The Citizens Crime Commission is offering a reward for information leading to an arrest in the hit-and-run. If you have any information on the case, call the Citizens Crime Commission at 215-546-8477 or Philadelphia Police at 215-685-3180 or 215-685-3181.
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