East Falls man arrested in Kingsessing murder

Marquise Marshall and Leroy Branch are two Philly men who have beaten murder raps before.

But it seems their luck has run out: Branch was gunned down in May, and Marshall was arrested last night in his slaying.

Marquise Marshall, 28, of Woodpipe Lane near Stokley Street in East Falls, was charged with murder and gun offenses in the May 12 murder of Leroy Branch, 49, of Florence Avenue near 56th Street in Kingsessing. He is being held without bail pending a July 23 preliminary hearing, according to court records.

Marshall allegedly shot Branch in the head and stomach inside Branch's home, said Officer Christine O'Brien, a police spokeswoman. Branch's landlord flagged down passing officer, who found Branch lying on the bed face-up in a second-floor bedroom just after 9:40 p.m., O'Brien said. Paramedics declared Branch dead at 10:04 p.m.

The motive remains listed as unknown.

According to court records, both men have lengthy criminal histories that include prior murder and attempted murder arrests.

Branch was convicted of robbery in 1984, aggravated assault in 1986 and 2004 and numerous drug and gun charges over the years. In 2005, records show, he beat a murder charge from a 1998 slaying when witnesses failed to appear in court. Marshall was arrested

Marshall was charged in an August 2004 murder, but a jury found him not guilty in 2006, court records show. He was convicted of robbery in 2007 but twice beat attempted murder charges, records show.