Sentenced to …

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Seven homicide cases are closed with those responsible for killing area residents serving time while others are now behind bars for shooting or assaulting others throughout South Philly.

A Point Breeze man was sentenced to life in prison for killing a man he caught his wife with one night at their home.

Levi Thompson, 30, of the 1700 block of South 22nd Street, waived his right to a jury trial and pled not guilty, according to court records. Then-Court of Common Pleas Judge Renee Cardwell Hughes found him guilty and sentenced him to life without parole Feb. 11 for first-degree murder and possession of an instrument of crime. He has appealed the sentence, but is currently serving his time at Forest, a maximum security male facility in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Thompson beat and killed Lateaf Dumas, 31, of Northeast Philly, with a hammer after he arrived home to find his wife being intimate with Dumas Oct. 15, 2009, according to police.

A Point Breeze woman pled guilty to knifing her live-in boyfriend during an argument.

Sylvia Johnson, 56, of the 2300 block of Reed Street, made a deal May 11, according to court records. She will serve 15 to 40 years for third-degree murder plus two-and-a-half to five years for possession of an instrument of crime and stalking at Cambridge Springs, a women’s minimum security prison in Northwestern Pennsylvania, where she will receive mental health treatment.

Following a dispute, Johnson stabbed her significant other, Rory Wallace, 50, of the same block, once in the chest and killed him Nov. 15, ’09, according to police.

A West Passyunk man pled guilty to shooting one of his tenants.

Harold Blackson, 52, of the 1900 block of South Lambert Street, who pled guilty May 16, will serve seven to 14 years for attempted murder, carrying a firearm without a license and possession of an instrument of crime at Laurel Highlands, a southwestern Pennsylvania minimum-security facility for men, according to court records.

Blackson allegedly shot his 47-year-old tenant multiple times with an AMT .380-caliber pistol in his rental property on the 2200 block of Snyder Avenue April 10 ’10, according to police. Authorities located him about six blocks away and arrested him.

A jury found a man guilty of killing another male over a rumor.

After a jury convicted Lance Crawford, 32, of the 2300 block of South Franklin Street, of first-degree murder; carrying a firearm in public and without a license; and possession of an instrument of crime, Common Pleas Judge Glenn B. Bronson sentenced him June 16 to life in prison at Graterford, a maximum-security Montgomery County jail, according to court records.

Crawford started a rumor that Anthony Grosso was cheating on his pregnant girlfriend, according to police. When Grosso confronted him, the two had a dispute that ended in Crawford pumping multiple bullets in Grasso’s head and chest in front of their girlfriends, who are sisters, on the 600 block of Fitzgerald Street Feb. 29, ’08. Grosso, 21, of the 2100 block of South Fourth Street, was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later.

Crawford was on the run for about four months until authorities traced him through his use of North Philly pay phones, according to police.

A man pled guilty to shooting a patron inside a Grays Ferry bar last year.

In turn for pleading guilty June 29, Burley, 30, of the 1800 block of South Corlies Street, will serve 10 to 20 years at Graterford prison and receive mental health evaluations as needed, according to court records.

Burley walked into Big Fella’s Sports Bar, 1348 S. 33rd St., called over a 32-year-old man and shot him in the stomach and right hip May 1, ’10, according to police. Burley, who was identified by his target from his nickname, “Butter,” was apprehended about 10 weeks later at a Northeast Philly home.

A woman who set her friend’s face on fire in South of South pled guilty to her wrongdoing.

Doreen Cuffie, 46, of the 800 block of South 16th Street, pled guilty July 20. Both sides agreed to her spending 10 to 20 years in jail for arson at Cambridge Springs, which will provide mental health and substance abuse treatment, plus 20 years probation for attempted first-degree murder and possession of an instrument of crime, according to court records.

Two friends went to Cuffie’s apartment where the trio was drinking. After an argument over beer, Cuffie splashed a flammable liquid on her long-time friend’s face and set fire to it, according to police. The 39-year-old victim suffered from third-degree burns.

A teen was sentenced to up to four decades in jail for killing and robbing a Grays Ferry man whom he knew.

Renardo Amador, 18, of North Philly, pled guilty to third-degree murder July 25. As part of the deal, he will spend 17-and-a-half to 40 years in jail at Pine Grove, a jail for male young adults in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Amador shot Harvey Marinoff, 67, of the 1600 block of South Bailey Street, in the head and back and left him in his basement while he stole his car and cell phone Aug. 5, ’10, according to police.

A North Philly man will serve life in prison for two August homicides, including one of a businesswoman from Passyunk Square.

Siegfried Moore, pled guilty to two counts of murder, as well as one each of robbery and possession of an instrument of crime, according to court records. He will serve two life sentences without parole at Camp Hill, a central Pennsylvania jail

Moore killed Devaughn Smith, 19, of Logan, Aug. 4 and stabbed Huan Mo, 53, of the 800 block of Dickinson Street, multiple times in the chest and robbed her at her Logan Laundromat Aug. 11, according to police. He was arrested Aug. 25 for both offenses.

A Grays Ferry man was convicted of assaulting a lieutenant after shoplifting at a Marconi store. 

A jury found Perry Martin, 39, of the 1700 block of South 28th Street, guilty of theft, simple assault and resisting arrest July 7. Common Pleas Judge Michael Erdos sentenced him to two to six years in a prison at Camp Hill plus four years probation Sept. 9. Four days later Martin had a probation violation hearing before Common Pleas Judge Rayford A. Means, who had been supervising his probation regarding four retail thefts, a criminal conspiracy and a driving under the influence conviction since 1996. Means upped his sentence to a total of 15 to 30 years, Assistant District Attorney Noel Ann DeSantis said.

Martin resisted arrest from then-1st District Lt. Douglas Stanford at RiteAid, 1500 W. Moyamensing, Aug. 17, 2010, and as the struggle continued outside, he “flipped Lt. Stanford and then body slammed him with all his might to the concrete ground,” Capt. Larry Nodiff, of South Detective Division, said at a press conference announcing Martin’s arrest the day after the incident.

Martin had 22 previous arrests, mostly consisting of thefts. Stanford received three broken ribs, a bruised lung and bruised skull and is now assigned to the Internal Affairs Bureau, according to police.

The offender who paralyzed a man from the chest down in Grays Ferry pled guilty.

Jack Harris, 24, of Northeast Philly, pled guilty Sept. 18 in a deal in which he will serve nine to 20 years for attempted murder and possession of an instrument of crime at Smithfield, a close-security male jail in central Pennsylvania.

Harris paralyzed a then-45-year-old street vendor, who was selling his wares on the 3000 block of Reed Street March 17, according to police. Harris asked for money and when the man said he didn’t have any, Harris put a bullet in his back. He was arrested a few hours later in Grays Ferry.

A pair of Grays Ferry boys were sentenced for killing two teens whom they admittedly mistakened for two youngsters from a rival gang. 

Derek H. Barnes, 22, of the 1500 block of South Bailey Street, and Anthony Satchell, 19, of the 2600 block of Dickinson Street, were sentenced Sept. 26 and Oct. 4, respectively, for the pair of slayings.

Barnes will serve 35 to 70 years behind bars for two counts of third-degree murder and possession of an instrument of crime while Satchell, who pled guilty Jan. 25, ’10, will serve life without parole for two counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy and possession of a firearm by a minor. Both are being held at the Camp Hill facility. 

Satchell fired multiple shots at Dominique Smith, 17, of the 1400 block of South 32nd Street, and Harvey Lewis, 15, of the 1100 block of South 20th Street, with one bullet hitting each in the back of head on the 1600 block of South 29th Street April 19, ’09, according to police. He, along with Barnes, originally thought their targets were from 31st Street, but, according to police, upon realizing they were wrong, Satchell still shot them. Both were arrested a week later at their respective homes.

A couple, who left their then-4-year-old behind after snatching about $60,000 worth of jewelry, was sentenced. 

A jury found John Benson, 48, of Northeast Philly, and Sheakia Stubbs, of West Philly, guilty Aug. 2. Common Pleas Court Judge Charles J. Cunningham III sentenced Benson to 30 to 72 years and Stubbs to about one to two years Oct. 19, according to court records. Benson will serve 20 to 40 years for attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault; eight to 20 years for robbery; one to five years for endangering the welfare of a child; and one to seven years for retail theft and conspiracy at Houtzdale, a medium security prison for men in central Pennsylvania. Stubbs was sentenced to 11-and-a-half to 23 months for retail theft followed by two years probation for conspiracy and endangering the welfare of a child. Stubbs received credit for the 17 months she had already served, so she was released and began her parole, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

The two were browsing at Platinum & Ice Jewelry, 621 South St., Feb. 27, ’10 when Benson stole a tray of engagement rings. The store’s 34-year-old owner pursued the couple, so Benson cut the owner’s neck and fled without his son, who is now being cared for by Stubbs’ brother. 

The trio of men convicted of beating a Lansdale resident to death in a parking lot at the sports complex was sentenced last week.

A mistrial was declared Sept. 20, but prior to a new trial starting, Charles Bowers, 37, of Northeast Philly, as well as Jim P. Groves, 48, and Francis Kirchner, 31, both of Fishtown, pled guilty Oct. 18 to voluntary manslaughter and criminal conspiracy. Common Pleas Judge Shelley Robins New sentenced Bowers to five to 10 years; Groves to two to four years and Kirchner to nine to 18 years. The trio will serve at Graterford.

The three held down and kicked David Sale Jr. of Lansdale until his was unconscious in Lot M on the 700 block of Pattison Avenue during the July 25, ’09 Phillies-Cardinals game, according to police.

Bowers and Groves, who were tossed from the game earlier, were arrested at the scene whereas Kirchner, who had been kicked out of McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon, had already fled, but turned himself in two days later.

Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.

Also in this week’s Police Report:
Internet assists police
Pre-holiday slaying
Filament predicament
Unlucky draw
Chomped
Unwanted holiday visitors
Unfruitful request
Missing gifts

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