A Pennsylvania lady upset her connection ended hired a hitman to stalk and kill a passionate rival, and sent the assassin to shoot the lady as she sat in a Dunkin’ generate-through with her 11-yr-previous son, prosecutors said.
Julie Jean, 34, is charged with murder and conspiracy in connection to the April 11 slaying of Rachel King, a 35-calendar year-aged teacher at a Philadelphia K-8 constitution college, stated Montgomery County District Lawyer Kevin Steele, who declared Jean’s arrest Wednesday.
The taking pictures took place in Cheltenham Township just exterior Philadelphia, courtroom documents show.
Court papers show police arrested Jean Tuesday. Also arrested: the alleged hitman, 33-12 months-outdated Zakkee Steven Alhakim, who prosecutors said utilized a privately made firearm – normally called a “ghost gun” – to kill King. As King was stopped at the espresso chain, prosecutors reported, Alhakim shot her at issue-blank variety in an early-morning ambush.
“This chilly-blooded killing of Rachel King was a specific murder of an harmless man or woman, planned by these two defendants and horrifically carried out in entrance of King’s son,” Steele explained. “It is a tragic killing of a excellent man or woman, all for the reason that of an finished affair.”
On the net records demonstrate Jean, who lives in Elkins Park, remained jailed without having bond on Thursday and that she is thanks in courtroom for a preliminary listening to on the expenses upcoming 7 days. Prosecutors mentioned Alhakim also remained jailed awaiting arraignment, facing prices such as first-diploma murder and conspiracy.
Reducing ties and a safety get
Courtroom files filed Monday reveal King had been in a connection for yrs with a person who final year started a marriage with Jean.
When King learned the infidelity, the gentleman reduce ties with Jean, a decision that infuriated Jean, prosecutors stated. The affair strained King’s connection with the man, but they reconciled.
But in accordance to Jean’s probable trigger arrest affidavit, she stalked and harassed her ex via cell phone calls and texts and appeared unannounced at his condominium. It goes on to read Jean also reached out to King, contacting her at operate and asking King about her romantic relationship with Jean’s former lover.
According to prosecutors, in December, the man used for and received a protection buy from Jean.
A plot, Mercury sedan and violin practice
In February, the affidavit reveals, Jean arrived at out to Alhakim and the pair commenced exchanging textual content messages which bundled a Google Maps screenshot of King’s apartment.
Evidence pulled from Jean’s cell cell phone showed the pair met multiple times in Philadelphia, and all through a person fulfill up, she furnished him with images of King, court docket records display.
It goes on to read through Jean plotted with Alhakim and, in March, purchased him a Mercury sedan he utilised to follow King as she drove her son, to violin follow.
On the day of the killing, the affidavit reads, officers responded at 7:30 a.m. to the Melrose Browsing Heart for a report of a capturing and observed King useless in the driver’s seat of her Ford Edge car. The SUV, courtroom papers clearly show, had occur to a relaxation on a parking island in close proximity to the Dunkin’ Donuts generate-through lane.
Detectives also recovered six 9mm fired cartridge casings from outside of the car exactly where the shooter had been standing when he killed King, who was shot quite a few situations.
Prosecutors stated the Mercury matched the description of the vehicle used by the gunman who targeted King in the generate-through.
Hours soon after the shooting, Philadelphia law enforcement located the Mercury in town boundaries and tried to pull it over, but the driver took officers on a chase until finally he crashed into a fence. Law enforcement recognized the man powering the wheel as Alhakim.
Photographs, mobile phone documents and a CashApp payment
In an interview with detectives, Alhakim denied staying in Cheltenham on the working day of killing and also denied figuring out Jean.
Throughout a look for of Alhakim’s mobile cellphone, detectives found a photo taken March 16 depicting a Polymer P80 handgun.
Through a nationwide ballistics databases, officers explained, detectives matched the shell casings with those taken from the crime scene and decided that they came from the exact gun.
Detectives also interviewed Jean, who denied any involvement in King’s slaying, court docket information display. But when detectives obtained a warrant for Jean’s cellphone, they found she had deleted just about 800 text messages just minutes right before their meeting, together with all of her conversation with Alhakim.
All through a overview of CashApp data, detectives also identified a transaction involving Jean and Alhakim, the affidavit carries on.
Natalie Neysa Alund addresses breaking and trending information for United states Today. Achieve her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.
