Dead in a closet

28043647

A 27-year-old was taken into custody after police said he stabbed and strangled his live-in girlfriend on the 900 block of South 16th Street and dumped her body in a closet.

Police responding to a report of someone screaming arrived at the couple’s second-floor apartment in the Graduate Hospital area at about 6:50 p.m. Jan. 12 and found Ameya Spratley, 28, partially clothed and dead in a bedroom closet, Officer Tanya Little of the Police Public Affairs Unit said. A medic pronounced Spratley dead at the scene at 7:02. She had sustained three knife wounds to her left torso and had strangulation marks around her neck, Little said.

Keith Moore, 23, was charged with murder, possession of an instrument of crime and abuse of a corpse, the latter, police said, was for stuffing the body in the closet.

Homicide detectives cited domestic issues as the motive and the weapon was not recovered. 

Some friend

A man told police a pal of 43 years sliced him with a box cutter following an argument at the accused’s birthday celebration.

Claudius Dixon, 52, from the 1900 block of South Street, was arrested at his residence in the Graduate Hospital area at about 9:40 p.m. the day of the alleged incident, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said.

At about 9 p.m. Saturday, the 53-year-old victim and Dixon were celebrating the latter’s birthday inside his house when an argument broke out, the nature of which investigators did not disclose. During the dispute, Dixon asked the victim to leave, which he did, Tolliver said. While waiting outside for a taxi, Dixon allegedly came up behind him and sliced him on the right shoulder. As the victim turned around, he saw the accused placing a long box cutter in his pocket and Dixon walking back into the home, Tolliver said.

A medic took the man to Pennsylvania Hospital, where he needed 10 stitches to close the wound. Meanwhile, officers took Dixon into custody and charged him with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and possession of an instrument of crime. 

Blood doesn’t lie

Police found a bloody trail they said backs up a victim’s version of being shot during a home invasion and then attempting to chase one of the offenders down.

The blood belonged to the victim, who suffered a gunshot to his right leg and was taken via medic to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in stable condition.

At about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, a friend of the victim paid him a visit on the 1900 block of South Beechwood Street, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detectives said. Once inside, the men heard a knock on the door and the pal got up to answer it, at which point two men in black ski masks and dark clothing and armed with 9mms forced their way inside.

The 23-year-old victim began struggling with one offender, managing to throw him out of the house, but in the process he was shot. Despite his injury, the victim tried to track down his assailant by running north on Beechwood, west on Mifflin, north on 22nd, east on Moore, then finally south on 21st Street to Sigel Street.

A neighbor told police she heard a gunshot and spotted the victim running north on Beechwood.

One of the home invaders was described as about 6 foot and 190 to 200 pounds, while the other was about 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds.

To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013. 

Bullets on the block

Shots fired on the 2000 block of Garnet Street luckily missed a grandmother waiting in her vehicle for her grandchildren. A 16-year-old was not so lucky, as he took a bullet to his right upper arm and was transported via medic to HUP, where he was listed in stable condition, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detectives said.

The teen told police he was walking with three friends shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday on McKean Street from 19th towards Garnet when they saw two men walking behind them. As the pair approached, one pulled a handgun and fired upon the trio, striking the 16-year-old.

The grandmother was unharmed while sitting inside her red 2005 Hyundai, but three slugs struck her car, police said.

Detectives recovered ballistics evidence on the 2000 block of Garnet and also discovered a bullet hole in the front windshield of a silver 2000 Saab; inside that automobile, investigators found a bullet fragment.

The perpetrators were described as ages 17 to 20; one was about 5-foot-11, thin, with a gray hoodie and silver handgun, while the other was about 5-foot-6 with a medium build and in a black coat.

To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013. 

Shot and robbed

After a man complied with a robber’s request, he was shot anyway. The incident happened at about 8 p.m. Jan. 11 on the 1800 block of Snyder Avenue.

The 18-year-old was walking west on the avenue, approaching 19th Street, when a man ordered him to clean out his pockets, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detectives said. After the teen handed over $20, the man shot him once in the left thigh.

The victim was taken by private auto to Methodist Hospital, where he was in stable condition.

To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013. 

A slew of charges

Detectives lobbed nearly a dozen charges at a man they said tried to mug a 45-year-old at knifepoint Jan. 13 as the latter left a residence on the 1500 block of South 30th Street.

David Wiggins, 21, from the above block in Grays Ferry, was arrested at his home at about 7:40 p.m., 20 minutes after the alleged incident occurred, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detectives said.

The victim was walking north on the east side of the 1500 block of South 30th when he was approached from behind by an unknown man in a black ski mask, later believed to be Wiggins.

Wiggins is accused of sticking a knife in the victim’s neck and ordering him to “give it up,” Tolliver said. Instead of complying, the victim turned and grabbed the suspect’s arm, attempting to gain control of the blade. The victim was able to fight off his assailant and run across the street, only to be followed by the man. With the alleged offender on his tail, the victim ducked behind a car and eluded the person, who took off down an alleyway between 30th and Newkirk streets, Tolliver said.

The victim called police, who searched the area and rounded up Wiggins. Police found a knife on the suspect and charged him with possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, terroristic threats, robbery, theft and related offenses.

To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013. 

Accosted at the door

Two men converged on a child as he was walking his bike up the stairs to a second-story apartment on the 700 block of South Randolph Street.

The armed thugs, whose faces were concealed, forced the 12-year-old inside the Queen Village dwelling at about 2:10 p.m. Monday and sat him down in his living room while they rummaged through the premises, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detectives said. Assorted electronics and household items were swiped by the two, who were last seen running south on South Randolph.

The victim was unharmed in the attack and police did not place a value on the stolen goods.

The offenders were described as about 5-foot-3; one had a black skullcap pulled over his face and wore a red-hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans, while his accomplice was tall and also had a black skullcap hiding his face; that man wore a gray-hooded sweatshirt and baggy blue jeans.

To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013. 

Donate for the homeless

The 3rd Police District is accepting donations of new socks, underwear and toiletries for the homeless at its 11th-and-Wharton-streets headquarters.

For more information, call Community Relations Officer Juan “Ace” Delgado at 215-686-3033.

28043647