Fairmount Park murders: Suspects charged in 'execution-style' killings of man, woman
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police are revealing new details in the ‘execution-style’ murders of a man and woman in Fairmount Park following the arrest of two suspects.
Police held a press conference Thursday afternoon to announce the arrests of Lamar Young, 52, and Dale Johnson, 56.
Back on Feb. 29, police responded to a call for a ‘hospital case’ at the 3800 block of Mount Pleasant Drive in Fairmount Park.
Police found the bodies of Thurston Cooper, 49, and Krystina Chambers, 38, near three shell casings off to the side of the road.
Lamar Young (L) and Dale Johnson (R) are accused in the execution style murders of two people in Fairmount Park late last month. (Philadelphia Police Department)
During Thursday’s press conference, police revealed that the suspects and victims had spoken inside Tellups Tavern on the 1300 block of West Olney Avenue earlier in the evening. Around 9:40 p.m. all four left the bar together and Cooper and Chambers were apparently looking for a ride before they were offered a ride by the suspects.
About 20 minutes later, police say the suspects’ car was spotted in the park. The 911 call came in less than an hour later after police say someone else in the park located the victims.
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Police say they do not have anything ‘concrete’ when it comes to what the victims and suspects discussed in the bar, but say they believe there was some type of conflict that was resolved before they left the bar.
Investigators say they do not have video of the shooting itself, but they do have video of the car at the scene for about 5-10 minutes.
"It's really a senseless crime, quite frankly," Chief Inspector Christopher Werner said Thursday. "And if it's over an argument, I mean, you're looking at a double murder."
Werner added that both the victims and the suspects were known to frequent that bar and likely knew one another prior to the killings.
Young was arrested earlier this month and has been charged with murder, conspiracy and related offenses. Johnson turned herself in to police on Wednesday and is also charged with murder and conspiracy.