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Neighbor charged with murder after woman, 83, stabbed on porch in North Philadelphia

By and FOX 29 staff
Updated  February 15, 2024 1:27pm EST
Crime & Public Safety
FOX 29 Philadelphia

Woman, 83, stabbed to death by neighbor, police say

A neighborhood dispute took a tragic turn that left an 83-year-old woman dead outside her own home, and her neighbor charged with murder.

NORTH PHILADELPHIA - A neighborhood dispute turned fatal after an 83-year-old woman was stabbed to death outside her own home, and her neighbor charged with murder.

Isaiah Rahatt, 47, was arrested after police say he stabbed the elderly woman in the neck, and shot her with a BB gun Wednesday night.

The woman, identified as Dolores Robinson, was pronounced dead on her porch on the 2900 block of North 27th Street.

Neighbor arrested in fatal stabbing of woman, 83, on front porch of her Philadelphia home

Philadelphia police say they have arrested a next-door neighbor in connection with a woman's murder on her own front porch.

She was found with one fatal stab wound to the neck, and BB gun wounds on her hand and head.

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"What we were told, she seemed like a very outstanding individual. She was 83-years-old, apparently in good health. This is definitely tragic," Inspector Ernest Ransom, with the Philadelphia Police Homicide Unit, said. "We do believe there was an on-going issue with this individual and the entire block."

Police say the deadly incident began when the suspect followed the woman inside her home, then a struggle ensued.

The struggle eventually ended up on the porch, where Robinson was stabbed to death.

Police have yet to release any details about what caused the struggle.

However, they did state that there has been an ongoing issue between Rahatt and the entire block. Details of the issue are also unclear.

Rahatt has 13 prior arrests, including three cases of aggravated assault, according to police.

Police confirm they had calls to Rahatt’s home before the stabbing and online records show a lengthy criminal history.

Neighbor Crystal Allen Gray says they called police about Rahatt and his BB gun last summer.

"The cops looked at the BB gun, gave it back to home," Allen Gray said. "He shot my husband in the forehead with the BB gun. My husband still has the BB in his forehead, still, at this day. Nothing was done. I’m very pissed at the fact that it took this."

He is now charged with murder for the stabbing death of Robinson.