2007 triple homicide in Easton, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
The 2007 triple homicide in Easton, Pennsylvania refers to the November 29, 2007 murders of Alphe Rene, Aleah Hamlin and Chanel Armour in Easton
, a city in Northampton County
, in the Lehigh Valley
region of Pennsylvania
.
Easton police allege Ali Elijah Davis and Lewis A. Gray, along with possibly two other unidentified men, broke into the trio's city apartment building and shot them to death in an execution-style fashion. The targets of the alleged homicide were Rene and Lakimdel Edward Spring, who escaped by jumping out of a second-floor window after hearing gunshots. The murders were reportedly in retaliation for previous gang-related murders in Jersey City
and Newark
, New Jersey
; Davis and Rene were both members of the Bloods gang
. Davis and Gray are scheduled to face trial in October, and prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty
.
, a city
in Northampton County
, Pennsylvania
. Officers from the Easton Police Department responded to a vague report of someone being hurt at the apartment and found the bodies of all three city residents, who were each shot several times in the head and torso. Authorities classified the attack as a "home-invasion-style murder;" Northampton County District Attorney
John Morganelli described it as a "execution-style ... gangland hit" believed to be part of "some kind of turf war in retaliation for some kind of actions." Rene was a known member of the Bloods gang
. At least a few of the victims were sleeping in bed when the killers interrupted them. Easton police did not say whether anything was stolen from the apartment.
Lakimdel Edward Spring told police he was taking a shower inside the apartment when he heard the gunshots. Spring fled from the apartment by leaping through a second-floor window, then ran along 13th Street to the nearby Fuglee's Bar wearing only pants and a do-rag. Spring, who was winded and frightened, called police, who responded as other officers were investigating the deaths. Spring, who had an extensive criminal history in New Jersey, gave his name as Ron Speaks and a false birthday and acted uncooperatively to the police. He was charged with giving false identification to law enforcement. Spring asked the judge not to put him in jail because he was "scared the same thing that happened to these people is going to happen to me." He was committed to Northampton County Prison
in lieu of $50,000 straight bail and placed in protective custody, but was not charged in connection with the murders.
Authorities said they were seeking three men in connection with the killing. Police believed the killers were from outside of the Easton area and came to the city specifically to kill these victims; police impounded a dark-colored Saturn sedan with New Jersey license plates from the 100 block of North 13th Street, in addition to other evidence. Armour had previously told police a man had threatened to kill her, and they provided his name to the police. The apartment building was rented by Kimberly Slack, who lived there with her two young daughters; all three were sleeping in the apartment at the time of the attack, but none were injured. Spring said he was splitting his time between Newark and the apartment. Neighbors said the victims moved into the apartment within the past week and "looked like decent people." Neighbors also said young people often congregated in the apartment building's front porch but that there was little police activity or problems there; Slack reportedly took in young people in need to try to help them.
The three deaths were Easton's third, fourth and fifth homicides in the year 2007, and they exacerbated already-existing concerns about safety in the city's West Ward neighborhood, where the killing took place. Local residents who had been planning since that summer to form a local chapter of the Guardian Angels
, an international volunteer safety organization, were prompted by the murders to form their chapter sooner. The apartment building was across the street from the Easton Area Middle School
. School district officials planned to relocate students from two area elementary schools to the middle school building the next school year while the other schools were being renovated; the plan was already unpopular among parents, and the shooting furthered their concerns. The district and police were both further criticized because the department did not notify the school about the shooting until after school officials noticed police cars around 7 a.m., after which it was too late to cancel school for the day. School and police officials both said the suspects were expected to be far from the area, and students were not believed to be in any danger. Easton police Captain Michael Vangelo said, "There was no safer place for the children that day, because there were about 20 cops in the area." Nevertheless, the incident prompted the two entities to review additional security measures and increase communication among each other. Parents were also disturbed that about one dozen students were left standing at a bus stop for 30 minutes at an intersection only a few hundred feet from the scene of the homicide, unaware that the bus route for that stop had been cancelled for the day.
. James Singleton, a 21-year-old member of the Bloods, was found shot to death about 11:15 p.m. on November 27 in Jersey City
's Arlington Park, an area known for gang activity. Essex County
Prosecutor's Office
officials said the murder was in retaliation for a November 27 double shooting in West Orange, New Jersey
Singleton was believed to be responsible for, which killed Devin Rodriguez, another Bloods member from Jersey City, and wounded a 19-year-old man. Two hours before the fatal shooting, Rene was questioned by police at Arlington Park along with other unidentified Bloods members. The same day as the November 29 Easton killings, New Jersey authorities arrested Calvin Vallejo, 21, of Jersey City, on suspicion of killing Singleton. Police said Vallejo, a personal friend of Rodriguez, had ties to the Bloods, but it was unclear whether he knew Rene. All three of the Easton victims had ties to northern New Jersey; Rene had family in Irvington, and Hamlin and Armour lived in the Newark area before moving to Easton.
Spring pleaded guilty on January 22, 2008 to giving false idenitification to law enforcement. Spring said he gave police a fake name and birthday because he feared he would be killed if his name was made public. He told a judge, "A couple of friends of mine, they got murdered. I was running for my life. I ran to the bar and called the cops. I didn't want my name in the paper." Northampton County Judge Stephen G. Baratta sentenced Spring to 12 months time served in prison and released him, under the conditions he earn a high school equivalency diploma and make monthly contact with the county probation department. Spring, who had previously been in protective custody, said he planned to return to Newark because he was not safe in Easton. Spring requested police protection in New Jersey, but Baratta said New Jersey police would likely not agree to it because the grading of Spring's crime was too low; Easton police said it was Spring's decision to leave protective custody in Pennsylvania. Spring told detectives he came to Easton with another man named Tyrell "Hel Rel" Manning, who has not been charged by police in connection with the shootings.
, and Lewis A. Gray, 31, of East Orange, New Jersey
, were charged with the three murders. Gray was charged February 15 at an Essex County prison, where he was being held for trafficking
cocaine
and heroin in December 2007. Davis was arrested on March 24 after Easton police observed him walking near the city's Ninth and Wood streets and recognized him from a photo that was circulated to all patrol officers. Morganelli said at least one, possibly two other men were believed to be involved with the homicides, but had not yet been arrested. Morganelli said the murders were the result of "gang, robbery or related intertwined motives." Davis and Gray knew each other for months prior to the killings, but police have not said how they met or the nature of their association.
Gary was also known as "Monster" according to court papers and Davis, a standout basketball player at Liberty High School
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
in 2006, was also known as "Lee-Hood." Morganelli also said he was withholding the names of witnesses who have cooperated in order to protect their safety and the integrity of the investigation. Davis and Gray were both charged with three counts of homicide, robbery and criminal conspiracy. Gray previously served time in New Jersey state prison from 1996 to 2000 for theft, burglary, aggravated assault and unlawfully possessing a weapon. A March 13 raid of a $1 million multi-state drug distribution ring run out of Easton's South Side helped provided corroborating information that contributed to Davis' and Gray's arrests, Morganelli said.
Davis was charged May 20 with another, unrelated Easton murder. On May 30, 2007, Davis allegedly fired four shots at Joey Bernard Mobley at close range, fatally striking him once in the heart, at the 500 block of Charles Street in city's South Side neighborhood. Mobley, a Brooklyn
man nicknamed "Face", was a member of the Bloods, making him the second member of the Bloods Davis is accused of killing, along with Rene. Melanie Hansend, a friend of Mobley's told police prior to the shooting, said she picked him up in the city's West Ward neighborhood and brought him to the South Side, where he started joking around and brandishing a firearm wrapped in a red bandanna just before he was shot. While Mobley was playing with the gun, Davis and his friend, Easton resident Josh Oliver, were walking north on Charles Street when they saw Mobley, who was shouting at people in the area. Hansend said Mobley was not pointing the gun or threatening anybody when Davis allegedly opened fire. Davis allegedly reached around Oliver and began shooting at Mobley; witnesses told police Mobley did not return fire, but tried to block the shots with his arm, stumbled and fell to the ground.
Police did not identify a motive for the killing, but an unidentified witness cooperating with police said Davis "was bringing one of his pups home when he killed Face;" "pup" is a slang term for a gang rank. Davis, who was already being held in Northampton County Prison, was arraigned on charges for Mobley's murder before Northampton County Judge Dan Corpora and returned to prison without bail. at the time of the arraignment, Oliver, a former state wrestling
championship runner-up at the Easton Area High School, was serving in Northampton County Prison on robbery charges from a Palmer Township home invasion, and his alleged role in a $1 million multi-state drug distribution ring. Police did not charge Oliver with the killing, but prosecutors did not discount the possibility of charging him later. Officers said other eyewitnesses besides Oliver identified Davis as the shooter, although they were hesitant to talk to police at first. Morganelli said Davis' alleged connection to four killings is the most he's seen since Martin Appel killed three people at a bank in East Allen Township, Pennsylvania
in 1986.
On February 15, Gray told police he went to the 13th Street apartment only to assist in a robbery and had no prior knowledge of the murder plots. He also denied being in the apartments when the shots were fired. Gray claimed he was approached by Davis on November 28 in Irvington, New Jersey
about a "money scheme," which is street slang for robbery. Davis, who is identified as "Lee-Hood" in court documents, told Gray he was going to rob people in Pennsylvania for $10,000, according to his statement. Gray claimed on November 29, he and two other individuals drove to Easton and parked in an alley before walking up to the rear of the apartment. Gray said Davis told him to "stand at the back door and make sure nobody runs out." Gray was armed with a shotgun which reportedly did not work. Gray claimed after he heard several gunshots, he ran back to their car and waited for Davis and the other two men; once they got inside the car, Davis told him things went badly. Gray was charged following his police interview. Easton police said Gray's statement corroborated with other parts of the investigation and was consistent with other statements. Police also determined through monitoring E-ZPass
records that Davis traveled back and forth from New Jersey and Pennsylvania through the Interstate 78
toll plaza at Williams Township
before and after the murders. Police have not identified the other two men or made any additional arrests besides Davis and Gray. Gray's attorney, James Burke, said the charges against his client should have been dismissed because there was no evidence he had knowledge about the murders.
days before the three Easton killings. Easton police confirmed they were working with Newark police and the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office in connection with the Easton murders.
The 13th Street apartment was not Oliver's permanent residence, but he was staying there at the time of the killings; Stack babysat Oliver as a child, and she met Davis through Oliver. Oliver testified that on November 29, he was "hanging out" with Rene at the apartment and watching Law & Order
when he received a call from Davis, asked him who was in the apartment with Oliver and told him to unlock the back door. When Oliver unlocked the door, a group of men were standing on the back porch, one of which aimed a handgun at him. According to court documents, the four men were Davis, Gray, a man identified as "Gangsta Red" and another named "T-Bone." Davis demanded Oliver give him a handgun Davis previous gave him before leaving Easton for New Jersey. Oliver said he remained in the apartment and, shortly after handed over the gun, he heard several gunshots and hid in a bathroom. Oliver then saw three men, whom he could not identify, run from the apartment. Prosecutors said the gunshots killed Rene, Hamlin and Armour. Oliver said he did not see Davis shoot anybody.
Oliver gave a statement to Easton police who responded to the scene, then arranged to meet with Davis during a phone call he made while sitting in the front seat of a police cruiser. Later, Oliver met Davis in the area of South 13th and Washington streets in the city and confronted him about the incident. When Oliver said his life was placed in danger, Davis insisted the shooters "knew what they were coming for," and insisted to Oliver, "I told them not to shoot you because you're my boy," Oliver testified. Oliver said Davis told him "Gangsta Red" (also known as "G-Red") shot Rene; according to Oliver, Davis told him, "(Gangsta Red) put the gun to Alphe's head...and he dropped to his knees." Oliver said he, Rene, Davis and "T-Bone" are members of the Bloods street gang; police have not identified "Gangsta Red" or "T-Bone," but said they have active leads and are pursuing cases against them. District Judge Gay Elwell sent all charges to court following the testimony. Oliver did not have a conversation with police about receiving protection in exchange for his testimony, but is committed in Northampton County Prison on unrelated drug charges.
Both men have been given tentative trial dates in October. On August 14, Northampton County prosecutors said they planned to seek the death penalty
for Davis and Gray. Attorneys said if both men are found guilty of first-degree murder, the death penalty applies because the men murdered several people and killed while committing a robbery; they also cited Gray's significant history of felony convictions involving the use or threat of violence. The Lehigh Valley Committee Against State Killing, an anti-capital punishment organization, criticized the prosecutors, claiming the decision to seek the death penalty was for political gain. The Northampton County District Attorney's office announced in September they also plan to seek the death penalty in the case against Davis for killing Mobley. Attorneys said the decision was because Davis endangered many others in the area in addition to the victim, and insisted it had nothing to do with his role in the triple homicide. The trial for the Mobley killing is scheduled for April 13, 2009.
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
, a city in Northampton County
Northampton County, Pennsylvania
As of the 2010 census, the county was 86.3% White, 5.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 2.2% were two or more races, and 3.8% were some other race. 10.5% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.As of the census of...
, in the Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
region of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Easton police allege Ali Elijah Davis and Lewis A. Gray, along with possibly two other unidentified men, broke into the trio's city apartment building and shot them to death in an execution-style fashion. The targets of the alleged homicide were Rene and Lakimdel Edward Spring, who escaped by jumping out of a second-floor window after hearing gunshots. The murders were reportedly in retaliation for previous gang-related murders in Jersey City
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
and Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
; Davis and Rene were both members of the Bloods gang
Bloods
The Bloods are a street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. They are identified by the red color worn by their members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs...
. Davis and Gray are scheduled to face trial in October, and prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
.
November 29 shooting
Alphe Rene, 21, and cousins Aleah Hamlin, 19, and Chanel Armour, 23, were shot to death in a third-floor apartment at 128 North 13th Street in EastonEaston, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
, a city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Northampton County
Northampton County, Pennsylvania
As of the 2010 census, the county was 86.3% White, 5.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 2.2% were two or more races, and 3.8% were some other race. 10.5% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.As of the census of...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Officers from the Easton Police Department responded to a vague report of someone being hurt at the apartment and found the bodies of all three city residents, who were each shot several times in the head and torso. Authorities classified the attack as a "home-invasion-style murder;" Northampton County District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
John Morganelli described it as a "execution-style ... gangland hit" believed to be part of "some kind of turf war in retaliation for some kind of actions." Rene was a known member of the Bloods gang
Bloods
The Bloods are a street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. They are identified by the red color worn by their members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs...
. At least a few of the victims were sleeping in bed when the killers interrupted them. Easton police did not say whether anything was stolen from the apartment.
Lakimdel Edward Spring told police he was taking a shower inside the apartment when he heard the gunshots. Spring fled from the apartment by leaping through a second-floor window, then ran along 13th Street to the nearby Fuglee's Bar wearing only pants and a do-rag. Spring, who was winded and frightened, called police, who responded as other officers were investigating the deaths. Spring, who had an extensive criminal history in New Jersey, gave his name as Ron Speaks and a false birthday and acted uncooperatively to the police. He was charged with giving false identification to law enforcement. Spring asked the judge not to put him in jail because he was "scared the same thing that happened to these people is going to happen to me." He was committed to Northampton County Prison
Northampton County Prison
Northampton County Prison is a county level prison located in Easton, Pennsylvania in the United States.The prison is situated adjacent to the Northampton County Courthouse and consists of four inter-connected buildings...
in lieu of $50,000 straight bail and placed in protective custody, but was not charged in connection with the murders.
Authorities said they were seeking three men in connection with the killing. Police believed the killers were from outside of the Easton area and came to the city specifically to kill these victims; police impounded a dark-colored Saturn sedan with New Jersey license plates from the 100 block of North 13th Street, in addition to other evidence. Armour had previously told police a man had threatened to kill her, and they provided his name to the police. The apartment building was rented by Kimberly Slack, who lived there with her two young daughters; all three were sleeping in the apartment at the time of the attack, but none were injured. Spring said he was splitting his time between Newark and the apartment. Neighbors said the victims moved into the apartment within the past week and "looked like decent people." Neighbors also said young people often congregated in the apartment building's front porch but that there was little police activity or problems there; Slack reportedly took in young people in need to try to help them.
The three deaths were Easton's third, fourth and fifth homicides in the year 2007, and they exacerbated already-existing concerns about safety in the city's West Ward neighborhood, where the killing took place. Local residents who had been planning since that summer to form a local chapter of the Guardian Angels
Guardian Angels
The Guardian Angels is a non-profit international volunteer organization of unarmed citizen crime patrollers. The Guardian Angels organization was founded February 13, 1979 in New York City by Curtis Sliwa and has chapters in 15 countries and 144 cities around the world.Sliwa originally created the...
, an international volunteer safety organization, were prompted by the murders to form their chapter sooner. The apartment building was across the street from the Easton Area Middle School
Easton Area School District
Easton Area School District is an urban, suburban, and rural public school district located in Northampton County and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA. In Northampton County it serves the city of Easton, as well as Forks, Palmer, and portions of Lower Mount Bethel Townships. In Bucks County, it...
. School district officials planned to relocate students from two area elementary schools to the middle school building the next school year while the other schools were being renovated; the plan was already unpopular among parents, and the shooting furthered their concerns. The district and police were both further criticized because the department did not notify the school about the shooting until after school officials noticed police cars around 7 a.m., after which it was too late to cancel school for the day. School and police officials both said the suspects were expected to be far from the area, and students were not believed to be in any danger. Easton police Captain Michael Vangelo said, "There was no safer place for the children that day, because there were about 20 cops in the area." Nevertheless, the incident prompted the two entities to review additional security measures and increase communication among each other. Parents were also disturbed that about one dozen students were left standing at a bus stop for 30 minutes at an intersection only a few hundred feet from the scene of the homicide, unaware that the bus route for that stop had been cancelled for the day.
Connection to other murders
In December, Easton police said Easton's triple homicides may have been retaliation for other gang-related murders in New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. James Singleton, a 21-year-old member of the Bloods, was found shot to death about 11:15 p.m. on November 27 in Jersey City
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
's Arlington Park, an area known for gang activity. Essex County
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
Prosecutor's Office
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
officials said the murder was in retaliation for a November 27 double shooting in West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange is a township in central Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 46,207...
Singleton was believed to be responsible for, which killed Devin Rodriguez, another Bloods member from Jersey City, and wounded a 19-year-old man. Two hours before the fatal shooting, Rene was questioned by police at Arlington Park along with other unidentified Bloods members. The same day as the November 29 Easton killings, New Jersey authorities arrested Calvin Vallejo, 21, of Jersey City, on suspicion of killing Singleton. Police said Vallejo, a personal friend of Rodriguez, had ties to the Bloods, but it was unclear whether he knew Rene. All three of the Easton victims had ties to northern New Jersey; Rene had family in Irvington, and Hamlin and Armour lived in the Newark area before moving to Easton.
Spring pleaded guilty on January 22, 2008 to giving false idenitification to law enforcement. Spring said he gave police a fake name and birthday because he feared he would be killed if his name was made public. He told a judge, "A couple of friends of mine, they got murdered. I was running for my life. I ran to the bar and called the cops. I didn't want my name in the paper." Northampton County Judge Stephen G. Baratta sentenced Spring to 12 months time served in prison and released him, under the conditions he earn a high school equivalency diploma and make monthly contact with the county probation department. Spring, who had previously been in protective custody, said he planned to return to Newark because he was not safe in Easton. Spring requested police protection in New Jersey, but Baratta said New Jersey police would likely not agree to it because the grading of Spring's crime was too low; Easton police said it was Spring's decision to leave protective custody in Pennsylvania. Spring told detectives he came to Easton with another man named Tyrell "Hel Rel" Manning, who has not been charged by police in connection with the shootings.
Two murder suspects arrested
Ali Elijah Davis, 20, of Freemansburg, PennsylvaniaFreemansburg, Pennsylvania
Freemansburg is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Freemansburg is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Freemansburg was 1,897 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, and Lewis A. Gray, 31, of East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange is a city in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the city's population 64,270, making it the state's 20th largest municipality, having dropped 5,554 residents from its population of 69,824 in the 2000 Census, when it was the state's 14th most...
, were charged with the three murders. Gray was charged February 15 at an Essex County prison, where he was being held for trafficking
Illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and heroin in December 2007. Davis was arrested on March 24 after Easton police observed him walking near the city's Ninth and Wood streets and recognized him from a photo that was circulated to all patrol officers. Morganelli said at least one, possibly two other men were believed to be involved with the homicides, but had not yet been arrested. Morganelli said the murders were the result of "gang, robbery or related intertwined motives." Davis and Gray knew each other for months prior to the killings, but police have not said how they met or the nature of their association.
Gary was also known as "Monster" according to court papers and Davis, a standout basketball player at Liberty High School
Liberty High School (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)
For schools with similar names, see Liberty High School.Liberty High School is a public high school located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the United States....
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
in 2006, was also known as "Lee-Hood." Morganelli also said he was withholding the names of witnesses who have cooperated in order to protect their safety and the integrity of the investigation. Davis and Gray were both charged with three counts of homicide, robbery and criminal conspiracy. Gray previously served time in New Jersey state prison from 1996 to 2000 for theft, burglary, aggravated assault and unlawfully possessing a weapon. A March 13 raid of a $1 million multi-state drug distribution ring run out of Easton's South Side helped provided corroborating information that contributed to Davis' and Gray's arrests, Morganelli said.
Davis was charged May 20 with another, unrelated Easton murder. On May 30, 2007, Davis allegedly fired four shots at Joey Bernard Mobley at close range, fatally striking him once in the heart, at the 500 block of Charles Street in city's South Side neighborhood. Mobley, a Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
man nicknamed "Face", was a member of the Bloods, making him the second member of the Bloods Davis is accused of killing, along with Rene. Melanie Hansend, a friend of Mobley's told police prior to the shooting, said she picked him up in the city's West Ward neighborhood and brought him to the South Side, where he started joking around and brandishing a firearm wrapped in a red bandanna just before he was shot. While Mobley was playing with the gun, Davis and his friend, Easton resident Josh Oliver, were walking north on Charles Street when they saw Mobley, who was shouting at people in the area. Hansend said Mobley was not pointing the gun or threatening anybody when Davis allegedly opened fire. Davis allegedly reached around Oliver and began shooting at Mobley; witnesses told police Mobley did not return fire, but tried to block the shots with his arm, stumbled and fell to the ground.
Police did not identify a motive for the killing, but an unidentified witness cooperating with police said Davis "was bringing one of his pups home when he killed Face;" "pup" is a slang term for a gang rank. Davis, who was already being held in Northampton County Prison, was arraigned on charges for Mobley's murder before Northampton County Judge Dan Corpora and returned to prison without bail. at the time of the arraignment, Oliver, a former state wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
championship runner-up at the Easton Area High School, was serving in Northampton County Prison on robbery charges from a Palmer Township home invasion, and his alleged role in a $1 million multi-state drug distribution ring. Police did not charge Oliver with the killing, but prosecutors did not discount the possibility of charging him later. Officers said other eyewitnesses besides Oliver identified Davis as the shooter, although they were hesitant to talk to police at first. Morganelli said Davis' alleged connection to four killings is the most he's seen since Martin Appel killed three people at a bank in East Allen Township, Pennsylvania
East Allen Township, Pennsylvania
East Allen Township is a township in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. East Allen Township is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of East Allen Township was 4,903 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
in 1986.
On February 15, Gray told police he went to the 13th Street apartment only to assist in a robbery and had no prior knowledge of the murder plots. He also denied being in the apartments when the shots were fired. Gray claimed he was approached by Davis on November 28 in Irvington, New Jersey
Irvington, New Jersey
Irvington is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 53,926, a decline of 11.2% from the 60,695 residents enumerated in the 2000 Census.-Geography:...
about a "money scheme," which is street slang for robbery. Davis, who is identified as "Lee-Hood" in court documents, told Gray he was going to rob people in Pennsylvania for $10,000, according to his statement. Gray claimed on November 29, he and two other individuals drove to Easton and parked in an alley before walking up to the rear of the apartment. Gray said Davis told him to "stand at the back door and make sure nobody runs out." Gray was armed with a shotgun which reportedly did not work. Gray claimed after he heard several gunshots, he ran back to their car and waited for Davis and the other two men; once they got inside the car, Davis told him things went badly. Gray was charged following his police interview. Easton police said Gray's statement corroborated with other parts of the investigation and was consistent with other statements. Police also determined through monitoring E-ZPass
E-ZPass
E-ZPass is an electronic toll-collection system used on most tolled roads, bridges, and tunnels in the northeastern US, south to Virginia and West Virginia, and west to Illinois. Currently, there are 25 agencies spread across 14 states that make up the . All member agencies use the same technology,...
records that Davis traveled back and forth from New Jersey and Pennsylvania through the Interstate 78
Interstate 78
Interstate 78 is an Interstate Highway in the Northeast United States, running 144 miles from Interstate 81 northeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, through Allentown, Pennsylvania, and western and northern New Jersey to the Holland Tunnel and Lower Manhattan in New York City.I-78 is a major road...
toll plaza at Williams Township
Williams Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania
Williams Township is a township in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Williams Township is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Williams Township was 4,470 at the 2000 census.-History:...
before and after the murders. Police have not identified the other two men or made any additional arrests besides Davis and Gray. Gray's attorney, James Burke, said the charges against his client should have been dismissed because there was no evidence he had knowledge about the murders.
Josh Oliver testimony
On July 15, Josh Oliver testified that Davis told him he came to Easton specifically to kill Rene and Spring. According to Oliver, Davis said the murders were in retaliation for the murders of Singleton and a man named "Fredo" Harris. Harris was gunned down in Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
days before the three Easton killings. Easton police confirmed they were working with Newark police and the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office in connection with the Easton murders.
The 13th Street apartment was not Oliver's permanent residence, but he was staying there at the time of the killings; Stack babysat Oliver as a child, and she met Davis through Oliver. Oliver testified that on November 29, he was "hanging out" with Rene at the apartment and watching Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
when he received a call from Davis, asked him who was in the apartment with Oliver and told him to unlock the back door. When Oliver unlocked the door, a group of men were standing on the back porch, one of which aimed a handgun at him. According to court documents, the four men were Davis, Gray, a man identified as "Gangsta Red" and another named "T-Bone." Davis demanded Oliver give him a handgun Davis previous gave him before leaving Easton for New Jersey. Oliver said he remained in the apartment and, shortly after handed over the gun, he heard several gunshots and hid in a bathroom. Oliver then saw three men, whom he could not identify, run from the apartment. Prosecutors said the gunshots killed Rene, Hamlin and Armour. Oliver said he did not see Davis shoot anybody.
Oliver gave a statement to Easton police who responded to the scene, then arranged to meet with Davis during a phone call he made while sitting in the front seat of a police cruiser. Later, Oliver met Davis in the area of South 13th and Washington streets in the city and confronted him about the incident. When Oliver said his life was placed in danger, Davis insisted the shooters "knew what they were coming for," and insisted to Oliver, "I told them not to shoot you because you're my boy," Oliver testified. Oliver said Davis told him "Gangsta Red" (also known as "G-Red") shot Rene; according to Oliver, Davis told him, "(Gangsta Red) put the gun to Alphe's head...and he dropped to his knees." Oliver said he, Rene, Davis and "T-Bone" are members of the Bloods street gang; police have not identified "Gangsta Red" or "T-Bone," but said they have active leads and are pursuing cases against them. District Judge Gay Elwell sent all charges to court following the testimony. Oliver did not have a conversation with police about receiving protection in exchange for his testimony, but is committed in Northampton County Prison on unrelated drug charges.
Both men have been given tentative trial dates in October. On August 14, Northampton County prosecutors said they planned to seek the death penalty
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
for Davis and Gray. Attorneys said if both men are found guilty of first-degree murder, the death penalty applies because the men murdered several people and killed while committing a robbery; they also cited Gray's significant history of felony convictions involving the use or threat of violence. The Lehigh Valley Committee Against State Killing, an anti-capital punishment organization, criticized the prosecutors, claiming the decision to seek the death penalty was for political gain. The Northampton County District Attorney's office announced in September they also plan to seek the death penalty in the case against Davis for killing Mobley. Attorneys said the decision was because Davis endangered many others in the area in addition to the victim, and insisted it had nothing to do with his role in the triple homicide. The trial for the Mobley killing is scheduled for April 13, 2009.