Fifteen days into the new year, there already have been close to that many slayings citywide. A 16-year-old found in Point Breeze was one of the latest casualties.
A 16-year-old shooting victim succumbed to his injuries hours after 17th District police found him on the 1300 block of Point Breeze Avenue, police said.
Officers took the teen to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital at 12:28 a.m. Tuesday, said Capt. Richard Ross of the Homicide Division.
The victim was pronounced dead at 6:35 a.m. from gunshot wounds to his neck and torso, Ross said. At press time, the victim had not yet been identified pending notification of his family.
To report information, call the Homicide Division at 215-686-3334/35.
Body found near airport
A Southwest Philly gas station employee discovered the body of a local man on Hog Island Road near the airport, police said.
Jacques Nguyen, 38, of the 700 block of Christian Street, had been strangled, said Lt. Joe Maum of the Homicide Division.
The employee made the discovery shortly before 9 a.m. Friday in some nearby bushes, police said.
Investigators are not sure whether Nguyen was killed at the scene or elsewhere.
To report information, call the Homicide Division at 215-686-3334/35.
Busted for sex crimes
Days after investigators issued an arrest warrant for a fugitive who they say committed a series of rapes and other sex crimes in South Philly, the suspect surrendered to police.
Accompanied by an attorney, Jose MacWilliams, 33, turned himself in Tuesday night to the Special Victims Unit, said the unit’s Capt. John Darby.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, MacWilliams has an arrest record dating back to 1993 for mostly theft, burglaries and criminal conspiracy. In February 2002, he pleaded guilty to statutory sexual assault of a 15-year-old, said Cathie Abookire, spokesperson for the District Attorney’s Office. Because of the seriousness of the crime, prosecutors asked for state time, Abookire noted. Instead, Common Pleas Judge Carolyn Temin sentenced him to seven years of probation, said the spokesperson.
MacWilliams’ addresses are listed as the 2600 block of South Percy Street and the 2600 block of South Seventh Street.
Five teenage girls who live in the area of Ninth and Porter streets — where the assaults occurred — had identified MacWilliams in the latest batch of incidents, said Darby.
The first incident happened at the end of November, and the latest on New Year’s Eve, the captain said. One reportedly occurred in MacWilliams’ car near the airport, added Darby.
"We have a series of incidents where he befriended these girls — in some cases, their families. And then he used his influence, his age, his transport [car] and, in some cases, we believe he provided drugs or alcohol and then took advantage of them," the captain told the Review on Tuesday.
MacWilliams was charged with multiple counts of rape, involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault and related offenses, said Darby.
To report information, call the Special Victims Unit at 215-685-3264.
Two arrests in store holdup
Members of South Detective Division’s Special Investigations Unit have arrested two of the three men captured on security surveillance video during the Dec. 26 robbery of an Asian grocer.
As it turns out, one of the duo also was nabbed by Southwest Detectives and charged with six robberies in that part of town, said Lt. Michael Chitwood of the Special Investigations Unit.
And both South and Southwest detectives have issued arrest warrants for the third suspect, officials said.
Three men entered Lynda’s Grocery Store on the 2300 block of Christian Street and held up the place at gunpoint, police said.
Following an investigation, South Detectives arrested Tarik Bey, 20, of the 2100 block of Wakeling Street in Frankford, said Sgt. Steve Biello of South Detectives. Investigators nabbed Bey around 9:30 a.m. Jan. 6 inside his home.
The next day, Bey also was charged with six robberies of Latin grocers in Southwest Philly, Chitwood said.
Four days later, South Detectives picked up Elijah Smith, 22, from the 200 block of North 54th Street, inside his home, Biello said. A search warrant of Smith’s home turned up items stolen during the Dec. 26 holdup, including cartons of cigarettes, added the sergeant.
Bey and Smith each are charged with a slew of offenses, including possession of an instrument of crime, recklessly endangering another person, robbery, conspiracy, theft and related offenses, Biello said.
The third suspect is identified as Sosomon Smith, 22, from Southwest Philly.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013 or Southwest Detectives at 215-476-1131.
Reward for killer
The Citizens Crime Commission has announced a $10,000 reward for the murderer of Tereke Peterson, 25, who was shot in the head Aug. 16, 2002.
The original reward was $5,000, but last week the victim’s parents posted the additional $5,000.
Peterson lived in Overbrook with his parents, Brenda and Samuel. He was gunned down on his way to visit his newborn son and the child’s mother at 17th Street and Snyder Avenue, said Detective Carl Watkins of the Homicide Division.
Peterson had just left a family picnic at Clementon Park in New Jersey when he stopped off in South Philly to visit his son and girlfriend, Brenda told the Review.
He had just stepped out of the car when a man approached and pumped at least a dozen shots at him, said Watkins.
The victim had been carrying stuffed animals he had won at the amusement park for his son and some food from the picnic for the child’s mother, Brenda said. The victim’s girlfriend heard the gunfire that erupted a few feet from her apartment.
Peterson had taken off work that week to be with his newborn son, his mother added.
Almost a year to the day before he was killed, Peterson had shot a man at 39th and Poplar streets with whom he had a previous run-in, his mother said.
Officials couldn’t confirm at press time the resolution of that case.
That same man allegedly pistol-whipped Peterson in 2000 — badly enough to send him to the hospital, according to his mother.
The target of Peterson’s gunfire, who also was wanted on other charges, went to prison after he was released from the hospital. He has since been released, according to Brenda, and has been spotted in South Philly.
Pervert on the line
A man posing as a doctor conducting a survey for the Philadelphia Health Department is getting a thrill at some South Philly residents’ expense.
Health Department spokesperson Jeff Moran said his department has received a half-dozen calls over the last two months inquiring about the caller.
"It starts as a survey about water quality and gradually turns into a prank or obscene phone call," Moran said.
One of the victims reported that the caller asked her if she had ever used an enema.
Because the Health Department does not investigate potential crimes, Moran told complainants to report all calls to Verizon and also the police.
Blazing battles
Despite the bitter cold, it was a hot weekend for fires in South Philly, with a total of three blazes that required firefighters to come to the rescue.
There were no injuries in any of the fires.
A two-alarm blaze broke out at 4:15 p.m. Saturday when a hot-water heater burst in the basement of a two-story dwelling at 2704 S. 10th St., said Executive Fire Chief William Brightcliffe.
Flames quickly consumed the first and second floors of the twin home, the chief said. Eighteen people were evacuated from six neighboring homes before the fire was contained at 5:02 p.m., said Brightcliffe.
It took 22 pieces of equipment and about 75 firefighters to put out the two-alarmer, the chief added.
Later that night, at 11:45, a blaze ignited in a mattress in a first-floor rear room of an apartment at 735 Snyder Ave., said Brightcliffe. The fire marshal cited the cause to be an electrical appliance/portable heater.
And just as the Eagles kicked off their game at the Linc Sunday afternoon, a fire began in a recreational vehicle in a nearby parking lot, Brightcliffe said. In all, six cars were damaged in the fire, the chief added.
An open flame from a cooking grill was the culprit in the 4:50 p.m. blaze at Seventh Street and Pattison Avenue, ruled the fire marshal. No charges were filed as the cause was ruled an accident.
All Review police, court and fire-related items are collected from or verified by official sources.
Items are roughly prioritized by urgency or news value. If you have already reported an incident or missing person to police and would like to inform us, call crime reporter Lorraine Gennaro at 215-336-2500 ext. 124.
