Chester teen charged in the February deaths of a Philly rapper and a second man during a drug deal

A second teen has been charged in the killings of two Philadelphia men, including an up-and-coming rap artist, who were gunned down in the city of Chester last month during a drug deal that turned into an ambush, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said Tuesday.

The 17-year-old girl, whose name was not released, has been charged as an adult with homicide, robbery, theft, conspiracy, and related charges, the DA’s Office said.

She is being held without bail at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility. While she did not pull the trigger, she was instrumental in setting in motion the events that led to the “cold-blooded double murder” of Rasheen Jones, 20, a rapper known as RunUp Rico, and Kwann Henderson, 19, on Feb. 1, Stollsteimer said.

“She organized the meet-up that led to the victims’ deaths, and she actively worked to hide her efforts at coordination of the robbery that led to murder,” he said.

Namai “Pop” Melvin, 15, one of two suspected triggermen, was arrested last month and charged with the same crimes. He, too, is being held without bail at the Hill correctional facility. A second gunman is still at large, the DA’s Office said.

Investigators say Melvin opened fire on the victims with a .40-caliber handgun as he sat in the backseat of a Chevy Impala while they were in the front seats.

Jones and Henderson were found shot multiple times inside the car that had crashed on Third Street near Lamokin in Chester, police said. Jones was pronounced dead at the scene, and Henderson died later at Crozer-Chester Medical Center.

The second gunman was standing outside the car during the attack, authorities said.

“Rest assured that we will continue to follow the evidence to ensure that all the responsible parties are brought to justice, regardless of their age,” Stollsteimer said.

The victims went to Chester to sell the suspects a large package of marijuana, a deal that turned deadly shortly before 7:30 p.m., police said. When Chester police arrived at the scene for a report of a gunshot victim, they found the Chevy crashed into a building and the victims inside suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Detectives were led to the suspects after reviewing surveillance video from inside and outside a convenience store that the suspects and victims visited moments before the attack, as well as through witness identifications, and text messages, photos, and video clips found on the cellphones of the victims and suspects concerning the drug deal, the DA’s Office said.

“As difficult as it is to contemplate the cold-blooded actions of this juvenile defendant, it is important to acknowledge the determination and skill that led to this arrest,” Stollsteimer said.