Third set of charges filed in Chester double homicide

MEDIA » An arrest warrant has been issued for a third suspect in the double homicide of an aspiring Philadelphia rapper and his friend during an apparent robbery turned deadly in Chester last month, District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer announced Thursday.

Darren Majeed, 27, of Wilmington, Del., is charged with criminal homicide, first-, second- and third-degree murder, robbery, theft, conspiracy, firearms and related offenses in the Feb. 1 shooting deaths of 19-year-old Kwann Henderson and 20-year-old Rasheen “RunUp Rico” Jones, both of Philadelphia.

Namai Sincere Melvin, 15, of the 2600 block of Curran Street, was charged last month with similar offenses for the shooting outside KNF Market at 1100 W. Third St. and a 17-yearold girl identified as Tracy Williams has also been arrested and charged for allegedly helping set up a robbery that ended with the victim’s deaths.

According to affidavits of probable cause for Melvin and Majeed written by Delaware County Detective David Tyler and Chester Detective Michael Canfield, police were called to the scene about 7:23 p.m. for a report of a gunshot victim.

Upon arrival, officers found a crowd of people around a silver Chevrolet Impala that appeared to have crashed into a building on the 1100 block of West Third Street.

“As responding officers approached, they observed two black male victims lying on top of one another half way out of the driver’s door of the Impala,” according to the affidavit for Majeed.

Both victims appeared to have suffered gunshot wounds. Jones was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics from CrozerChester Medical Center. Henderson was taken to Crozer for additional treatment, but succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Delaware County Medical Examiner Dr. Frederic Hellman and Assistant Medical Examiner Dr. Bennett Preston determined the cause of death for both victims was gunshot wounds. They removed .40 caliber projectiles from both men, according to an affidavit of probable cause for Melvin’s arrest

Found at the scene were a .40 caliber shell casing and .45 caliber projectile inside the car, as well as a package containing “a large amount” of marijuana on the front passenger floor, according to the affidavit. A spent .40 cal. shell was also collected from the street outside the market, the affidavit says. Detectives determined that the .45 caliber weapon was fired from outside the Impala and a .40 caliber firearm was fired inside.

Investigators reviewed video surveillance from inside and outside the market, which showed the Impala parked in front of the store, according to the affidavit. Two people were captured in video walking toward the car on the 300 block of Pennell Street and going into the market, followed by Jones, the affidavit says. A short time later, Jones exited the market and got back into the Impala.

When the other two individuals exited the store, one got into the rear drivers-side door of the Impala while the other stood outside the driver’s window, according to the affidavit. After a conversation, the person standing outside the car raised his arm “consistent with firing a weapon” and immediately fled the scene in the 200 block of Pennell Street, the affidavit says.

Surveillance footage showed the Impala driving west before crashing into a building at 1105 W. Third St., according to the affidavit. Following the crash, the person in the back seat could be seen fleeing with a package similar in size and shape to the package of suspected marijuana found in the Impala.

Tyler and Canfield spoke with witnesses including

Chester Police Officer Marc Barag who identified Melvin as the person who got into the back of the Impala and fled with the package. Majeed is believed to be the person standing outside the vehicle.

Majeed and Williams were identified as suspects due to text conversations Jones allegedly had with each of them, as well as texts Majeed and Williams sent each other, according to the affidavit.

Jones’ phone was recovered at the crime scene and contained stored numbers for “Jug” and “QP,” both of which had been communicating with Jones the day of his murder, according to the affidavit.

A forensic review of Williams’ phone earlier this month allegedly revealed that it was the phone number designated as “Jug” and contained discussions with Jones about a location to meet and an estimated time of arrival. Additional conversations included information regarding the sale of marijuana, such as prices and quantities, according to the affidavit.

Majeed had also set up a separate drug buy with Jones, according to the affidavit. But investigators allegedly found Williams was also texting with Majeed, saved in her phone as “DRock,” to set up a robbery in that buy.

Williams and Majeed were texting immediately before the deadly confrontation in front of the market, according to the affidavit. In those conversations, Williams and Majeed allegedly discussed the robbery and their desire to make it appear that they weren’t together, and exchanged photographs of Jones to ensure the proper target was identified.

An agent with Delaware County Bail Bonds confirmed that the phone number for “DRock” and “QP” was the same as the one he had used in numerous discussions with Majeed earlier this month concerning a bench warrant in another open case, according to the affidavit. The agent also positively identified Majeed from a photo array, police said.

Melvin and Williams are being held without bail due do the nature of the offenses. Majeed had not been arrested as of press time Thursday.