Jersey Jiggaboo shot 7 to death in NJ, PA; Easton, PA WM, 27 a random victim

[The Bobster]

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/story/29494746/3-to-face-charges-in-deadly-shootings-in-allentown-easton

3 to Face Charges in Deadly Shootings in Allentown, Easton
Posted: Jul 07, 2015 5:09 PM EDT
Updated: Jul 07, 2015 5:09 PM EDT
By Dave Schratwieser, Reporter

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Authorities say three men charged in the shooting deaths of a man and a woman in Allentown will also face charges in the slaying of a man gunned down on an Easton street.

The memorial to murder victims Trevor Gray and Francine Ramos continued to grow at 6th and Greenleaf where they were gun downed Sunday, authorities announced the arrest of three men charged in the brutal murders.

“It should be noted they did not know the victims of the fatal shooting in Allentown nor do I believe they knew the victim of the fatal shooting in Easton,” said Lehigh County DA James Martin.

Gray and Ramos were found shot to death in burgundy Honda around 4 a.m. Sunday morning. According to authorities,18 shots were fired. Police say arrested overnight was 22-year-old Todd West of Elizabeth, New Jersey, 20-year-old Robert Jourdain, of Easton, and 23-year-old Kareem Mitchell, of Newark, New Jersey.

"Mr. West shot the victims, Mr. Mitchell drove the Mercedes and Mr. Jourdain purchased the ammunition for the firearm," said Martin.

DA Martin says two of the three suspects are also charged in three random knifepoint robberies on Monday in Allentown. Police later found the suspect's white Mercedes SUV in a downtown parking lot.

"A .38 Caliber Smith and Wesson revolver in a Walmart shopping bag and 18 discharged .38 Caliber cartridge casings were found in the vehicle," said Martin.

Police in Easton now say the three men will also be charged in the murder of 22-year-old Kory Ketrow in Easton, which happened 45 minutes before the Allentown murders, along with a shooting a few minutes later.

"All of these acts based on the investigation appear to be completely random," said Martin.

Back at the murder scene, neighbors were still shaken by the murder of Gray and Ramos. They say the violence is hitting too close to home.

 

[voiceofreason]

http://pix11.com/2015/07/09/elizabeth-man-accused-of-killing-7-people-in-2-different-states/

Elizabeth man accused of killing 7 people in 2 different states
Updated at 05:46pm, July 9, 2015

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A New Jersey man is accused of killing seven people, some of whom died during a wild robbery and murder spree over the weekend in Pennsylvania, according to officials.

Police arrested Elizabeth man Todd West, 22, and charged him with seven counts of murder and multiple weapons charges.

Prosecutor Grace Park called the killing spree “unprecedented.”

West allegedly shot four people in Elizabeth, killing three, over the course of two days starting June 25th. Around 2:30 a.m. that morning, frantic 911 calls came in reporting gunshots and a man lying in the street. Responding officers found 28-year-old Dennis Vega’s bullet-riddled body at the intersection of New Point Road and Seventh Street. He was pronounced dead shortly after.

That evening the violence resumed just before 10 p.m., officers rushed to the intersection of Sixth Street and South Park Street where they found West’s second alleged victim, 29-year-old Jamil Payne. About an hour later, dispatch once again sent officers to a shooting — this time in front of 320 Clark Place. Officers found Kevin Nelson, 32, dead from multiple gunshot wounds.

A fourth man, Richard Marte, was shot multiple times just minutes later, but survived.

Detectives linked all four shootings to the same .38 caliber revolver, and, after interviewing witnesses, determined that a white, 2013 Buick LaCrosse was at or near each scene at the time of the shootings.

While investigating the spate of killings, officers also found evidence allegedly linking West to the murder of his cousin, 29-year-old Michael Thompkins, who was found shot to death May 18th. Thompkins’ body was discovered in the second-floor hallway of his Parker Road apartment building in Elizabeth. He had also been shot multiple times.

West, along with two other men, were also charged in an apparent random shooting rampage in two eastern Pennsylvania cities last weekend and were ordered held without bail.

Twenty-year-old Robert Jourdain of Easton, and 23-year-old Kareem Mitchell of Newark, New Jersey were arraigned alongside West Wednesday by video from Lehigh County Prison.

They are charged in the shooting death Sunday of 22-year-old Kory Ketrow in Easton and attempted homicide in shots fired at a car shortly after the slaying. A magistrate told the defendants that they could face life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.

The three are also charged with homicide and conspiracy in the shooting deaths of 32-year-old Francine Ramos and 21-year-old Trevor Gray later Sunday in Allentown.

 

[voiceofreason]

http://6abc.com/news/3-men-charged-in-deadly-shootings-in-allentown-easton/834012/

3 men charged in deadly shootings in Allentown, Easton

21-year-old Trevor Gray, 22-year-old Kory Ketrow, 32-year-old Francine Ramos were killed during a Lehigh Valley crime spree.


Authorities believe Robert Jourdain, Todd West and Kareem Mitchell randomly opened fire at a car at the intersection of 6th and Greenleaf streets in Allentown early Sunday morning.

 

[The Bobster]

"Horrific and Unprecedented": NJ Man Accused of Killing 7 in 2 States

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news...a-Arrest-Serial-Spree-Killings-312911551.html

"Horrific and Unprecedented": NJ Man Accused of Killing 7 in 2 States
By Brian Thompson
Updated at 6:51 AM EDT on Friday, Jul 10, 2015

A New Jersey man has been accused of killing seven people in two states, including his own cousin, and three people within several hours in a separate shooting spree last month in the Garden State, authorities say.

Todd West, of Elizabeth, faces several counts of murder and numerous weapons charges in connection with a string of shootings in his hometown and in Pennsylvania over the last several weeks, authorities say.

"It is horrific and unprecedented," Union County Prosecutor Grace Park said at a news briefing announcing the charges. "We've never seen one individual commit this type of shooting spree in such a short period of time in this county."

West is accused of shooting three people to death in Elizabeth over the course of several hours June 25 and injuring another. Jamil Payne, Kevin Nelson and Dennis Vega were killed. In each case, the gunman approached in a white car, shot the victim several times and then left, Park said.

West is also accused of fatally shooting his cousin, Michael Thompson, on May 18.

West headed to Pennsylvania as authorities closed in on him, authorities said, allegedly killing two men in Allentown on Sunday and one in Easton on Monday. Pennsylvania authorities say those shootings appear to be random. West was arrested after the Pennsylvania shooting spree.

Authorities say West knew several of his alleged victims and may have some gang affiliations. The violence isn’t thought to have been motivated by gang rivalries or drugs, authorities said.

All seven victims were shot with a .38-caliber handgun, Park said. A motive remains unclear.

West's ont, Clarissa Thomas, said she spoke with him right before the shootings.

"He was a totally different kid a couple of weeks ago," she said. "As to why this happened, I can't even understand why."

Rafael Fonseca went to school with West and said he was a loner.

"He was more to himself, stepped back," he said.

Fonseca knew one of the victims, Payne.

"He had two daughters, he was a great father. He didn't mess with anybody, just worked," he said of Payne.

Attorney information for West wasn’t immediately available. He remains in custody in Pennsylvania on $5.5 million bail.

 

[The Bobster]

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news...nsylvania-Penn-Court-Todd-West-322821721.html

Hearing Delayed for New Jersey Man Accused of Killing 7 in 2 States
Updated at 1:58 PM EDT on Tuesday, Aug 25, 2015

A hearing for a man man accused of killing seven people in New Jersey and Pennsylvania over a seven-week period has been postponed.

Twenty-two-year-old Todd West and two co-defendants were supposed to have a preliminary hearing Tuesday in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on homicide and robbery counts.

There was no immediate word on why it was postponed. No new hearing date has been scheduled.

Police have said West confessed to the July 5 shooting deaths of a man and a woman in Allentown.

West, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, is accused of shooting three people to death in Elizabeth over the course of several hours June 25 and injuring another. Jamil Payne, Kevin Nelson and Dennis Vega were killed. In each case, the gunman approached in a white car, shot the victim several times and then left, Park said.

West is also accused of fatally shooting his cousin, Michael Thompson, on May 18.

West headed to Pennsylvania as authorities closed in on him, authorities said, allegedly killing two men in Allentown on Sunday and one in Easton on Monday. Pennsylvania authorities say those shootings appear to be random. West was arrested after the Pennsylvania shooting spree.

After West's arrest, Union County Prosecutor Grace Park called the killings "horrific and unprecedented."

Authorities say West knew several of his alleged victims and may have some gang affiliations. The violence isn’t thought to have been motivated by gang rivalries or drugs, authorities said.

 

[The Bobster]

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news...-Pennsylvania-New-Jersey-Devil-334846791.html

Man Charged With Killing 7 in 2 States Says He Heard Devil
Todd West is accused of killing 7 people in 7 weeks in Pa. and NJ
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM
Published at 7:43 PM EDT on Oct 20, 2015

A man accused of killing seven people in New Jersey and Pennsylvania over a seven-week period told police he heard the devil's voice in his head, a detective testified Tuesday.

Todd West, 23, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, and two co-defendants were ordered to stand trial on homicide and robbery counts in connection with the July 5 shooting deaths of a man in Easton and a man and a woman in nearby Allentown.

The victims were chosen at random, Lehigh County First Assistant District Attorney Steven M. Luksa said.

Arrested a day after the shootings, West described for police how he spotted Kory Ketrow, 22, walking down the street in Easton shortly after 3 a.m. July 5 and directed his co-defendant to pull their SUV over.

He said he climbed out, said "See ya later," and emptied his six-shot, .38-caliber revolver at Ketrow, testified Allentown police Detective John Brixius, who interviewed West.

West allegedly told police he didn't think he had killed Ketrow because he didn't see him "stiffen up."

He also said he heard a voice in his head, Brixius testified.

"The voice was telling him, 'Eat, eat, stop being picky, eat,'" the detective said West told him.

A few minutes after shooting Ketrow, West opened fire on a motorist stopped at a red light — striking the vehicle but missing the occupants — then headed to Allentown, less than 20 miles away, firing out the SUV's window during the ride, Brixius said.

The motorist testified she looked in her rear-view mirror while stopped at the light, saw a man pointing a gun in her direction and stepped on the accelerator to get away.

West allegedly shot two more people minutes after getting to Allentown.

Police found Francine Ramos, 32, dead of gunshot wounds in the driver's seat of a car. Her passenger, Trevor Davante Hall Gray, 21, staggered away and was found leaning against a nearby parked car with gunshot wounds. He died a short time later.

All of the shootings took place within a span of about 40 minutes.

West told authorities that an Easton man, Robert Jordain, 21, bought the ammunition used in the Pennsylvania shootings, and a Newark man, Kareen Mitchell, 23, drove him to both crime scenes in a Mercedes-Benz SUV owned by Mitchell's mother. Jordain and Mitchell were charged with homicide and appeared in court with West on Tuesday.

All three suspects are pleading not guilty, their lawyers said.

Arguing for the charges to be tossed, Mitchell's attorney, Karen Schular, said the shootings were "all spontaneous and random" by West and that her client, who had no criminal record, had nothing to do with them.

"He's in the car with a guy who's hearing the devil's voice," she said. "There's no motive for any of these shootings. It's a scary, scary situation."

But Luksa, the prosecutor, said Mitchell was culpable as the driver of the "Mercedes SUV of death."

West's lawyer, Robert Sletvold, said after the hearing that he would look into a mental health evaluation for West.

"Based on what I heard today, it's something that has to be seriously considered," he said.

Police have said West also killed his cousin in an Elizabeth apartment building in May 18, and killed three other victims on June 25 in Elizabeth.