Jul 3, 2009 6:41 am US/Eastern
Arrest Made In Northern Liberties Double Murder
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
Philadelphia Police have arrested a suspect for her involvement in a robbery and deadly double shooting in an upscale Northern Liberties apartment building Saturday evening.
Katoya Jones, 25, of Philadelphia, is facing charges of Murder, Conspiracy, Robbery, Burglary, Criminal Trespass and Possession of an Instrument of Crime.
According to investigators, Jones was not one of the shooters directly involved in the double murder, but played a significant role in the planning of the crimes.
The shooting happened at about 5:00 p.m. outside an apartment in the recently opened Piazza at Schmidt's on Hancock Street.
Rian Thal, 40, and a male, identified as Tim Gilmore of Ohio, were both shot multiple times during the incident.
According to investigators, the three gunmen, and a fourth who posed as a lookout, gained entry to the building and waited for Thal and Gilmore to return to her apartment. Jones was captured on surveillance tape entering the building in front of one the suspects moments before the murders.
As Thal and Gilmore returned, the gunmen surrounded the pair and shot them multiple times outside her apartment before fleeing.
"This was extremely organized, you have four guys, they're all on cell phones together, they're going up staircases. You have a lookout, he's alerting them when the two decedents are on their way up," Capt. James Clark explained.
Police said they found approximately $100,000 in cash and a large amount of cocaine in Thal's apartment. The suspects did not take any of the cash or drugs found in the apartment.
According to sources, Jones lived in the same building as Thal and was described as a casual acquaintance of Thal.
Investigators said they believe the double murder was drug-related.
"Obviously they were targeted, the two individuals, because of different illegal activities they were in to. The plan probably went wrong really quickly, having to shoot and kill both of them," Capt Clark explained.
Police said the four other suspects remain on the loose.
The deadly shooting remains under investigation.
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