Fifth person charged with witness tampering in double murder
TRENTON >> Another woman has been charged with beating up and intimidating a witness in last year’s brutal double murder of aspiring Philly rapper Elmi Problema and his friend.
Lashanique Anderson, 21, of Mellon Street in Trenton, is the fifth person to face witness tampering charges in connection with the upcoming murder trial of alleged triggerman Shaquille McNeil.
McNeil was one of six people originally arrested and accused of having a role in Jan. 22, 2018 double slaying of Jerard Perdomo-Santana and his 19-year-old friend, Ivan Rodriguez, in Chambersburg.
Prosecutors believe McNeil was the one who opened fire on the two inside their car, in the broad-daylight snuff out over a drug deal that went south.
Cecil Blake, a previously convicted killer who survived an attempt on his life months later, along with Lakeisha Hill, Felicita Gee, Fantasia Gee, and Tashawn Santiago were also charged with having varying roles in the murder.
The case took a crazy turn when, last year, four of McNeil’s associates were connected to a plot to kill co-defendant Santiago.
In jailhouse phone calls intercepted by authorities, McNeil Kimberly Whitaker and Bobby Hood
referred to Santiago as “Chuck E Cheese,” an apparent reference to a “rat,” or in street terms, someone who helps law enforcement.
This time, it’s Anderson who is accused of trying to get to a female witness in the case.
According to a criminal complaint, Anderson has ties to McNeil, Bobby Hood and Yahonatan Salter, who were all charged in connection with the plot to take out Santiago.
McNeil’s girlfriend, Kimberly Whitaker, charged with conspiracy to commit murder and witness tampering, was also accused of helping to set up the hit on Santiago.
McNeil, however, has so far not been criminally linked with Anderson’s intimidation of the witness.
McNeil’s attorney, Steven Lember, said he was focused on defending his client from the murders and wasn’t worried whether his client may face another witness tampering charge, likening it to “icing on the cake” for prosecutors.
Trenton Police Detective Scott Peterson wrote in a criminal complaint that Anderson confronted the witness on the morning of Feb.
7 at an auto repair shop on North Willow Street.
The witness was surprised to see Anderson, who went up to her and punched her in the face, according to the criminal complaint.
Peterson said he observed a contusion on the witness’ forehead and a cut on her right hand, but she refused medical attention.
She told the detective that Anderson was hounding her on social media, convinced she was cooperating with police in the murder case.
Anderson had allegedly threatened to beat up the witness any time she saw her in public “outside of police presence,” the complaint stated.
The witness believed Anderson targeted her because she was trying to keep her from testifying against McNeil at his murder trial.
“The defendant continuously attempted to contact and lure the victim to the area of Mellon Street by calling her several times and posting several comments and videos on social media,” the complaint stated.
Peterson saw the Facebook posts and videos, the complaint says, including one that in which Anderson had cautioned friends not to talk about guns because she was live-streaming on Facebook.
Anderson also apparently showed up to the witness’ court status hearings Peterson wrote that he personally saw Anderson at two of the statuses before Superior Court Judge Peter Warshaw, most recently on Jan. 31.
Apparently alluding to the meddling, Warshaw addressed those in attendance about prior bad “behavior” that occurred during previous proceedings inside his courtroom, the complaint stated.