Authorities arrest another suspected gunman in Piazza killings

The alleged main triggerman in the double homicide at the Piazza at Schmidts complex in Northern Liberties was arrested this afternoon, but not before a deputy U.S. Marshal chasing him on foot was hit by a van.

Donnell Murchison, 33, was nabbed in Northeast Philadelphia and the 34-year-old deputy marshal was taken to Aria Health-Torresdale Campus for treatment of a head injury, authorities said. He was listed in serious condition but was expected to recover.

The accident and the arrest happened about 5:30 p.m. in the 2800 block of Willits Road. The deputy marshal, whose name was not released, was struck while running after Murchison - who was attempting to flee - by a van not involved in the case.

Murchison is the sixth person arrested out of what could be as many as a dozen suspects involved in the attempted drug robbery that turned into a double homicide at the Piazza at Schmidts on June 27.

Meanwhile, earlier today the attorney for the man accused of masterminding the botched drug heist that resulted in the June 27 deaths of Rian Thal, 34, and Timothy Gilmore, 40, said in a Common Pleas Court filing that the case against his client was so thin that he should be released from jail.

Will Hook, 40, is being held without bail on murder and other charges, and a hearing has been set for Wednesday to argue attorney Christopher Warren's request.

The District Attorney's Office would not comment on Warren's petition because of the open case, spokeswoman Cathie Abookire said.

Hook was scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing last week, but prosecutors asked for a delay over Warren's objection. That hearing was rescheduled for Sept. 23, and Warren wants Hook to be freed until then.

Warren's petition said state law permits murder defendants to be held without bail only "when the proof is evident." He said the evidence against his client was unknown because Hook was not given copies of the arrest warrants or other court papers at his arraignment.

Warren said in the petition that the only likely evidence against Hook is the statement of Katoya Jones, 25, an acquaintance of Hook's who lives in Thal's building and has been charged with murder and other crimes in the case. Authorities said she allowed one of the three shooters to follow her into the building shortly before Thal and Gilmore were killed.

Police say the gunmen may have wanted to rob Thal, a popular party planner who authorities said had four kilograms of cocaine and more than $100,000 in her Northern Liberties apartment when she was killed. The robbery may have gone awry when Gilmore tried to flee, and he and Thal were gunned down, authorities said.

Police initially charged Hook only with burglary, saying he and another man had tried the rob Thal earlier on the day of the shootings.

Hook surrendered to police July 13 to face the burglary charge. The murder charges were lodged two days later.