No suspect in killing of woman and daughter

LEVITTOWN The Avalon Court apartments in Levittown remained an active crime scene Tuesday as police continued to investigate the slayings of a pregnant woman and her 4-year-old daughter, who were stabbed and left for dead in a burning unit.

Despite reports that they had identified a possible "person of interest" in the case, police and Bucks County prosecutors offered no new information.

Family members of the victims said they had received no updates from police concerning the deaths of Ebony Talley, 22, who was seven months pregnant, and her daughter, R'mani Rankins.

"Everyone is at a loss of words," Dani Hodges, 27, one of Talley's cousins, said Tuesday.

The apartment fire erupted about 3:30 p.m. Monday in the 600 building of the complex off Bristol-Oxford Valley Road.

Talley was pronounced dead at the scene, and R'mani was rushed to an area hospital, where she died, said county officials and relatives.

According to an affidavit filed in the case, investigators talked that day with another Avalon Court resident, Marcel Johnson, 21, and then locked him up on unrelated drug-possession charges.

Johnson and Talley were "good friends," according to Hodges, who said she did not know much about him.

Bristol Township police referred questions to Bucks County authorities, and District Attorney David Heckler did not return phone messages Tuesday seeking comment.

Earlier this year, Talley pleaded guilty in Bucks County Court to charges of robbery conspiracy and recklessly endangering another person, court records show. She was sentenced to two years' probation.

Talley's friends and relatives have described her as "sweet" and a "good person."