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Marcellus Jones, 33, of North Philly, was in jail awaiting trial for multiple counts of robbery and attempted murder when, in an unrelated case, police charged him with the murder of Tyreek Taylor, which authorities believe was Jones’ way of covering up the killing of Beau Zabel.
“We believe [Taylor] was killed because he was able to provide the police with exculpatory information concerning the murder of Beau Zabel and, in fact, shortly before [Taylor’s] death, the police had interviewed [Taylor] regarding that murder and another robbery in the South Philly area,” Assistant District Attorney Deborah Nixon said.
In custody as of Dec. 23, 2008 for multiple counts of robbery, attempted murder, aggravated assault and firearm violations for a June 2, ’08 incident on the 1600 block of Reed Street, Jones was charged with Taylor’s Sept. 6, ’08 murder and related charges Jan. 26, ’09.
He was convicted in a jury trial and sentenced to 60 to 120 years in prison March 12, ’10 for the former and then life without parole, along with robbery and possession of an instrument of crime, for Taylor’s murder June 4, according to court records. He also was ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to Taylor’s mother. He was not charged in the Zabel case.
A number of gunpoint robberies were occurring in South Philly at the time, including that of Zabel, a 23-year-old transplant from Minnesota. The resident of the 900 block of Ellsworth Street was robbed of his iPod on his way home from Starbucks, 347 South St., where he worked at 1:30 a.m. June 15, ’08. A fatal gunshot to the left side of his neck during the heist killed him on the 800 block of Ellsworth.
“What the theory of the police investigation was they would be able to solve the Beau Zabel murder if they could solve one of the robberies,” Nixon said.
Authorities tracked a cell phone stolen from a woman during one of the area muggings to Taylor. Although he had no knowledge of Zabel, he told police he received the phone from a man known as “Ant North.”
“It was then [investigators] got their first break in this case — that the defendant was tied to this phone,” Nixon said.
Authorities started investigating Ant North aka Jones, but before they could speak to Taylor again, he was slain.
“The defendant killed this man because he so much wanted to get away scot-free for the murder of Beau Zabel and he could see the police were getting close to solving this,” Nixon said.
Taylor, 22, was gunned down on his own block — the 1300 block of South Bouvier Street — at 10:35 a.m. Sept. 6, ’08, police said. He succumbed to a gunshot wound to the head 35 minutes later at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Jones had waited inside a nearby abandoned home and ambushed Taylor after he parked his car, Nixon said.
“He got up on the witness stand and he said he didn’t even know [Taylor], he was never in the area, he was never in the abandoned house.” Nixon said of Jones.
However, DNA evidence from a cigarette butt linked him to the area and the jury convicted him, Nixon said.
Defense lawyer David Rudenstein did not return a phone call prior to press time.
Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
Also in June’s Court Report:
Sentenced for rape
In this week’s Police Report:
Double trouble
Crime solvers
March to jail
July police meetings
Web-exclusive Police Report:
No brotherly love
Hostile takeover
Point of mystery
Alarming wakeup
Checkpoint
Uncooperative customer
Forceful heist
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