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18-year-old charged with killing a South Philly store clerk and a teenager in separate shootings

Tyseem Murray was arrested and linked to the slayings of corner store worker Xiaoding Li earlier this month and teenager Zyqueire Echevarria in October.

Cashier Xiaoding Li, 31, was shot and killed during his family's grocery in South Philadelphia. Tyseem Murray, 18, has been arrested and charged in the slaying.
Cashier Xiaoding Li, 31, was shot and killed during his family's grocery in South Philadelphia. Tyseem Murray, 18, has been arrested and charged in the slaying.Read moreTYGER WILLIAMS / Staff Photographer

An 18-year-old man has been arrested and charged with killing a store clerk and a 15-year-old boy in separate shootings in South Philadelphia.

Police said Tuesday that Tyseem Murray was arrested Friday and linked to the slayings of Xiaoding Li this month and Zyqueire Echevarria last October.

They said Murray was one of two masked men who left Li, 31, fatally wounded Jan. 7 after a robbery at a grocery store owned by the victim’s family at 900 Porter St. Police said one of the robbers shot Li once in the chest with a 9 mm handgun.

Police did not say if they believed Murray was the shooter.

Echevarria, a magnet school student who reportedly wanted to be an engineer, was shot on the 1500 block of South Beulah Street about 7 p.m. Oct. 14, the day after Murray turned 18, according to police and court records. Police have not provided a possible motive in the slaying.

Court records also show that Murray was charged in an aggravated assault and robbery two days after Li’s slaying.

Murray, of the 5400 block of Bartram Drive in Southwest Philadelphia, is being held without bail on charges that include two counts of murder, conspiracy, and numerous weapons offenses. A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 5.