Phila. man arrested in two slayings in Norristown
A Philadelphia man has been arrested in the killings of two men in Norristown on Wednesday in what prosecutors called a jealous rage over a woman he and one of the victims both dated.
A Philadelphia man has been arrested in the killings of two men in Norristown on Wednesday in what prosecutors called a jealous rage over a woman he and one of the victims both dated.
Obrian Stephen Lewis is charged in the deaths of Marcel Edwin Edwards, 26, of Philadelphia, and Quentin Watson Jr., 26, of Eagleville.
"This appears to be killings that were fueled by jealousy," First Assistant District Attorney Kevin Steele said at a Friday morning news conference announcing Lewis' arrest.
Edwards and Lewis had been in overlapping relationships with Mytia Purdie, who lives in the Sandy Street apartment where the slayings occurred, police said.
Lewis, 24, broke into the woman's apartment at 11 p.m. Wednesday, Steele said, and "fired off at least 20 shots" at the men.
Lewis and Purdie's 4-year-old son was in the home at the time, Steele said. The boy was not harmed.
After killing the men, Steele said, Lewis found Purdie, "grabbed her by the hair, dragged her out of the closet where she was hiding, over across the floor . . . and then she was able to escape and get out."
Purdie told detectives that Lewis struck her in the head with his gun and said, "You next," according to an arrest affidavit.
Norristown Police Officer Miguel Montoya arrived after the shootings and found Lewis, Steele said. Steele applauded Montoya's work to confront Lewis and recover the weapon.
"That gun was still hot from all the shots that had been fired," Steele said.
Lewis told the officer, "I was just attacked and I shot them," according to the affidavit.
Purdie told detectives that she and Lewis dated on and off for seven years, and "he was very jealous, and he was always violent with me. That's why I left him." She said Lewis called her the day of the shootings, told her she was a "whore," and threatened to kill her.
Lewis often stalked her, Purdie said, saying things such as "I know you be having people stay over." She told police she was inside her bedroom with her son Wednesday night when she heard gunshots.
Police said drugs that appeared to be heroin were found inside the apartment, but Steele said drugs did not appear to play a role in the killings.
Charges against Lewis include first-degree murder, burglary, assault, and other crimes. He was arraigned Friday before District Judge Margaret A. Hunsicker, who ordered him held without bail.
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