Last three suspects in Levittown musician's murder in custody
They thought Danny DeGennaro had drug money, authorities say.
Last three suspects in Levittown musician's murder in custody
Three Trenton men who thought Levittown musician Danny DeGennaro had drug money are in custody, charged with first-degree murder in the botched robbery attempt, Bucks County authorities said Friday.
Breon Powell, 21, of West Hanover Street, turned himself in to Bristol Township police Friday afternoon, and was arraigned on charges of murder, robbery, burglary, conspiracy and possession of a weapon, Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler said.
Jermaine Jackson, 20, of Pennington Avenue, and Kazair Gist, 19, of Martin Luther King Bouklevard, were arrested Thursday by federal marshals executing a Bucks County warrant. They face the same charges as Powell, and Heckler said he did not know when they would be extradited.
Jackson faces unrelated robbery charges in New Jersey, which could delay his extradition, a source involved in the investigation said.
“There was a perception [among the suspects] that there were drugs involved, and where there’s drugs, there’s money,” Heckler said.
It was possible the men “knew him or knew of him,” Heckler said.
DeGennaro, 56, was shot once in the chest at short range with a shotgun in the rear of his Bristol Township house about 10 p.m. on Dec. 28. He made his way to the front of the house, where he collapsed into the arms of a man who rented the lower level of the house, Heckler said.
The popular guitarist and songwriter, who played with such rock and R&B stars such as Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead and Clarence Clemons of the E Street Band, died a short time later at St. Mary Medical Center.
Police do not know which suspect shot DeGennaro, Heckler said. He could not say whether the shotgun and 45mm handgun that were used have been recovered.
According to court documents, Jackson told the two men and two young women “that they were going to a guy’s house that owed him money. Jackson wanted to go and try and get the money, but if there was any problem, Jackson was going to have Powell come in and hold the guy at gunpoint while the guy gave Jackson the money.”
Investigators don’t know whether DeGennaro owed money to Jackson or the other men, Heckler said.
The women, Danasia Bakr, 17, of Falls Township, and Tatyana Henderson, 18, of Bensalem, face the same charges as the men. Bakr is being held without bail in Bucks County Prison and faces trial as an adult, and Henderson is being held on unrelated theft charges. She will be arraigned on the other charges, Heckler said.
In interviews with police, Bakr admitted her involvement in the murder and gave this account, according to court documents:
The five suspects drove from Trenton to DeGennaro’s neighborhood that night and drove around for an hour. Henderson tried to lure him out of his Crabtree Drive house by calling the phone number on a Volkswagen Jetta for sale in the backyard, but the car and phone number belonged to a neighbor who refused to show them the Jetta.
While Bakr and Henderson waited outside, the men went into the house. Bakr then heard a loud gunshot, followed by a second gunshot. As she started to drive away with Henderson, Powell and Gist pounded on the trunk and jumped into the car.
“Powell said,‘I had to do it’ because the guy had charged at him,” Bakr said. “Gist was saying that he shot him too.”
The four returned to returned to Trenton, where they met up with Jackson. When Powell got out of Bakr’s car, he removed a shotgun from his pant leg, took it apart and put it in a gym bag.
Heckler said it was too early to determine whether he woud seek the death penalty in the case.
DeGennaro’s daughter, Gia, was “relieved” when told about the arrests, Assistant District Attorney Matt Weintraub said.
“She’s preparing herself for the long legal road ahead.”
mc62strat u must be smoking crack yourself to have the nerve to say you have known people with drugs and money but no violence until you add in a certain race then it becomes violent. So I guess you have never seen any gangster films right? What do you think The Godfather and all those gangters films were about? Real life gangsters who were violent,sold drugs and killed people. AND THEY WERE WHITE.— HBIC- Oh! I know what would would have made all the racist white people on here feel better....Maybe these kids should have just went to school that day and SHOT UP THE WHOLE SCHOOL for no reason! Yeah that would have made more sense and served a better purpose....Smh,But black people are the only violent ones huh?— HBIC
Comment removed.- Martin Luther King Jr would turn over in his grave if he knew how many streets were named after him that are in the worst of the worst neighborhoods. Why is that?
All of these murderers should plead guilty to spare themselves the death penalty. So young, such a waste of lives. People who are dying of cancer, diseases and paralyzed in accidents would give anything to have the lives these cretins just threw away. For what? Money. Pfft. Money can always be made. A life is precious.— iodine - im gorge w bush, this was a conspiracy.— james bond
- Jermaine Jackson of Martin Luther King Blvd. You can't make this stuff up.— Jack Klompus
- First of all get it right jermain jackson is not from blvd !!! You people with all your f..up comments!! Get your life together don't accuse my these kids just by going off what that fat as girl baker said and the reporters and the media!!!!!!! Jermaine jackson comes from a good up bring family he is innocent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! — pretty
- Were Randy and Tito involved?— Jack Klompus
- This is not a joking matter this is serious!!!!! — pretty
- This is not a joking matter this is serious!!!!! — pretty
- This is not a joking matter this is serious!!!!! — pretty
- Oh that's right - he's a local musician who played with Bob Weir, Drugs CAN'T be part of it.....Yeesh— enabler1
- Thank you, HBIC. Yeah, a random drive by, On Crabtree Lane. In Levittown, With perps from.....Trenton? Looks like the previous commenters never watched Perry Mason.— enabler1
- HBIC..ive known people with drugs and money but no violence. once you add in a certain race then it becomes violent.— mc62strat
- Why dont you people be real about the situation. THis guy was a drug addict. He knew these people. Atleast one of the guys. Who the hell from Trenton know someone on crabtree drive in Levittown. They are trying to sugar coat it beacause he was white. Yes they were wrong but what do you expect? Drugs, money and violence go hand in hand.— HBIC
- Breon? Kazair? Honestly, what crack head makes up these names?— stefek23
- "Investigators don’t know whether DeGennaro owed money to Jackson or the other men, Heckler said."......Uh, try reading the story, idiots. Yeah, a random drive-by - from Trenton. By way of Levittown. ...Yeah, OK. I got a bridge for sale, too.....— enabler1
- That is right,give them all the same charge.No excuse for any of them going on a venture such as that.Many young people today are so gullible to their peers stupid ideas.Sorry young people you had no person to show you what it takes to survive in this world.God have mercy on you.— Andrew Grier
- Wrestlemania is this weekend.— Bill E. Penn
- They stalk the guy because he was white and looked suspicious? If not, and you're complaining about race...guess what...you're a racist!— HandNik
- "He could not say whether the shotgun and 45mm handgun that were used have been recovered.
45mm handgun? Must have some nasty recoil.— lvresident - FROM AL & JESSE "if it's black on white, the crime is alright !! If it's white on black, heads will crack.If it's black on black crime...it ain't worth my time!"— fbpdplt
- Could you imagine the conversation when these scum called the neighbor to get him/her to come outside to show the car? I'm sure those rocket scientists and pillars of the community had some witty repartee to have someone refuse to show the car.
But this part was priceless: “Powell said,‘I had to do it’ because the guy had charged at him,” Bakr said. “Gist was saying that he shot him too.”
I predict Rev. Al Sharpton will lobby for a retroactive passing of the "stand your ground" law in PA and have it applied to those fine upstanding citizens in this case.— SweetnessAndLight - Sounds like he was hunted down like a rabid dog and assasinated.— Wilhelm Von Humboldt
- Spike tweeted their parents addresses, so they had to turn themselves in.— sillybilly
- Jesse and Al will get right on this, I'm sure.— dogman5
- Just wear a hoodie and follow the rest of the sheep.— knicks84
- Comment removed.
