UPPER DARBY – The alleged second shooter in the murder of a young couple on Le Carra Drive, who has been a fugitive since April, surrendered to police Tuesday, officials said. Darryl Stanley Williams Jr., 22, of the 3100 block of North Croskey Street, Philadelphia, arrived at the police station 10 a.m. Tuesday with his attorney Michael J. Diamondstein, of Philadelphia.
Detective Lt. George Rhoades Jr. reported a film crew from “America’s Most Wanted” television show, which featured the fugitive in one of its broadcasts, was on hand for the surrender to Upper Darby police and Delaware County District Attorney G. Michael Green and Deputy District Attorney Daniel McDevitt.
A co-defendant, William Ray Rankins, 23, of the 3500 block of North Marvine Street, Philadelphia, is facing companion charges for the late-night April 15 double shooting near the cul-de-sac of Le Carra Drive.
Rankins was ordered held for trial June 11 by District Justice Christopher Mattox and remains jailed awaiting trial before Judge Joseph P. Cronin Jr.
Jamie Alicia Durham, 18, of the 200 block of Le Carra, and Jawuan Ellis, 19, of the 400 block of Chester Pike, Darby, died from bullet wounds suffered in the ambush while they were seated in a car in front of Durham’s house.
Residents of Le Carra Drive recently rallied to have a fence installed at the end of the street to prevent people using the PECO right-of-way as a short cut to and from Wycombe Avenue and Marshall Road via their street.
The request was turned down by the utility company due to the $5,000-plus construction cost.
According to the affidavit, witnesses reported two males used the right-of-way from Glenwood Avenue, East Lansdowne, for access to Le Carra for the random robbery and murder.
Detective Thomas Johnson, the lead investigator, developed Rankins and Williams as the alleged assailants and issued arrest warrants for both men.
Rankins was in custody April 22 for an unrelated matter and allegedly admitted “the incident was a robbery that did not go as planned,” Johnson wrote in the affidavit.
“In the course of trying to get the couple into the trunk of the car,” Durham resisted and both men allegedly “began shooting,” Johnson wrote in the document.
After Rankins was located and charged, Johnson learned of his friendship with Williams and their traveling from North Philadelphia the day of the shooting to visit a relative of Rankins at Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital, Darby.
“Witnesses to the aftermath of the shooting described two males fleeing the crime scene,” Johnson wrote in the affidavit. “The ballistics examiner reports that two separate firearms were discharged during the incident,” noting Durham was “shot from both the right and left sides of her body as she sat in the front seat of the car.”
District Justice John Perfetti arraigned Williams on charges of firearms violations, conspiracy and two counts each of criminal homicide, murder of the first, second and third degree, simple and aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and robbery.
He was jailed for the non-bailable offense in the county prison pending a preliminary hearing Oct. 1.
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