After months of fear, Lawncrest finds hope

IN THE FIRST HALF of 2014, the people of Lawncrest had lost hope.

Having two high-profile murders take place about one month, and 1 mile, apart will do that to any neighborhood, especially one that was known for decades as a peaceful haven for blue-collar workers.

But now, as 2014 draws to a close, community leaders are noticing a marked change in their neighbors' attitudes.

And it wasn't for a lack of trying.

"In the beginning, when it was fresh, everybody was in shock," said Jean Pleis, the treasurer of the Lawncrest Community Association.

"But when we found out more of the facts, the perspective changed: We realized these weren't random shootings."

Pleis said the panic in Lawncrest - the colloquial name for the area spanning Lawndale and Crescentville, two neighborhoods in lower Northeast Philly - began in the wake of the Jan. 19 deaths of Donna Muller and her son, Rich, who were found shot dead inside their home on Stevens Street.

Though police haven't made an arrest in that case, they believe the Mullers were targeted over a drug dispute.

Four weeks after that double slaying, Keurlin Charles, Vander Freemont and Brian Williams, were found bound and shot execution style in a home on Martins Mill Road.

After a nine-month investigation, police arrested Cori Thompson on Nov. 5 in that triple slaying, which they say was also motivated by drugs.

"There was a powerful shock value to those incidents, and it lasted a long time; people didn't expect that kind of thing to happen here," Phil Grutzmacher, the community association's board secretary said.

"Once it became clear that it wasn't the case of somebody running around shooting people, we got over that shock."

Grutzmacher credits the Police Department's patience and dedication: Capt. Frank Palumbo, the commanding officer of the 2nd District, which patrols Lawncrest, took the time to attend community meetings and address residents' concerns, he said.

And Palumbo backed up those conversations with increased foot patrols in the neighborhood, Grutzmacher added.

But the biggest shift in the attitude of Lawncrest's residents came as the winter thawed.

The neighborhood's Fourth of July parade, a long-standing tradition that will mark its 100th year in 2015, drew uncharacteristically high support this year.

"The parade boosted people's spirits and drew people out," Pleis said. "People saw we were carrying on as normal, and it made them relax."

More good has come since then to the neighborhood, including a recent, well-organized Veterans Day celebration that featured appearances by District Attorney Seth Williams and City Councilwoman Marian Tasco.

"We had the support of the youth groups, the [Lawncrest Recreation Center], the Boy Scouts," said Kathy Wersinger, a member of the community association and longtime Lawncrest resident.

"There are so many positive things about this neighborhood that people don't realize; we need to change that."