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Warrants disclosed for two in Piazza killings
Philadelphia police yesterday disclosed arrest warrants for a man they say masterminded the drug robbery of Rian Thal and Timothy Gilmore as well as for one of three men who opened fire when the plan went awry.
Detectives said James "Pooh" Wilson, also known as Keith Epps, drew up the idea of robbing Thal, a well-known party organizer and a player in the drug underworld.
Thal, who had been arrested at least twice for drugs, had four kilograms of cocaine and more than $100,000 in cash in her posh Northern Liberties apartment when she was killed last month.
Although police have described Wilson, 40, as the "mastermind" behind the killings, he has not been charged in them. Rather, he faces a burglary charge for an earlier attempt to rob Thal.
"We're going to bring him in and see what goes on from there," Homicide Capt. James Clark said.
Wilson and Robert Keith, 27, went to an apartment in the Piazza at Schmidts that they believed to be Thal's around 4 a.m. June 27, the day of the shootings, Clark said.
They kicked in the door, but the unit was one floor below Thal's seventh-floor residence and was vacant, Clark said.
Neither man was present when Thal and Gilmore were killed. Keith, who is in custody, faces burglary and other charges. Wilson, of the 2600 block of North Sartain Street, is at large.
After the attempt to rob Thal, Wilson persuaded a friend who lived at the Piazza, Katoya Jones, to let one of the three men who killed Thal and Gilmore into the building, police said.
Jones, 25, was arrested July 2 and charged with murder, conspiracy, and other crimes.
Clark said yesterday that the gunmen hoped to push Thal, 34, and Gilmore, 40, into her apartment and rob them. Instead, Gilmore tried to run, and they were shot, he said.
Police now also have a warrant for Donnell Murchison, one of the men believed to have fired on both victims. Clark said Murchison shot Thal in the head and then fired a shot to finish off Gilmore, who had staggered toward the elevators.
"He's actually attempting to get up from the ground . . . when Murchison shoots him again," Clark said.
Murchison, 32, of the 6500 block of Limekiln Pike, is at large. He faces two counts of murder and other offenses. U.S. marshals are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
Police are still seeking information on the two other gunmen and at least two look-outs. One stationed himself on the sixth floor to watch for Thal and Gilmore, apparently communicating with the shooters on the seventh floor.
All four men who entered the building with Jones' help were captured on surveillance cameras, as were the shootings.
There was at least one other look-out, seen outside the building on another surveillance camera, Clark said yesterday.
Police at first guessed that the shooters could have been from outside the area, but Clark said all three appear to be from Philadelphia.
He said detectives had identified their suspects from a combination of tips, fingerprints, and surveillance footage.
Clark also said detectives were close to identifying the man seen leaving Thal's apartment after the shooting, carrying a black duffel bag.
The man is believed to be an associate of Gilmore's, a former Detroit firefighter who lived in Ohio. Gilmore drove a tractor-trailer, which police say he might have used as a front for drug-running. His connection to Thal is unclear.
Thal and Gilmore also were seen on her building's surveillance cameras talking to the three shooters earlier the day they were killed, possibly arranging a drug deal, police said.
Clark said yesterday that the nature of that conversation remained unclear.
Thal grew up in Lafayette Hill and founded RiGirl Productions, a Philadelphia party-planning firm.
She was known for throwing events that attracted professional athletes, celebrities, and aspiring rap stars. In April, fliers advertised a dual birthday party for her and James "Kamal" Gray of the Roots, the Grammy-winning band, at Plush nightclub.
Thal had recently moved into the Piazza, a new $150 million development in one of the city's hottest neighborhoods. She lived on the top floor of the Navona building.
Thal also seemed to be leading a double life, with two drug arrests weeks apart in 2000, including one for attempting to smuggle about 200 methamphetamine pills on a flight from Amsterdam.
Police sources have said Thal was known to drug investigators. Her role in that underworld has been described as a "facilitator" - someone who holds drugs and money for dealers - but she also may have been a trafficker, police have said.
There is little doubt about Wilson's role, as police have described him as a major player.
Wilson served seven years of a 10-year sentence for conspiracy and drug charges before being paroled in June 2005, according to state records.
He was charged with those offenses in 1990 but was not convicted until 1998. Court records show a fugitive warrant was issued for him 1993, possibly indicating that he went on the run. His defense attorney at the time no longer practices.
Court records also show a conviction in 1989 for aggravated assault under the name Keith Epps, with James Wilson listed as an alias. He received an 18-month sentence for that crime.
Murchison also received a 10-year sentence in 1997 for gun and robbery convictions. Clark said he should be considered armed and extremely dangerous.
"This investigation is very much ongoing," he said.
Anyone with information on the shootings or the whereabouts of the suspects is being asked to call the Homicide Division at 215-686-3334 or -3335.
Contact staff writer Troy Graham at 215-854-2730 or tgraham@phillynews.com.
