Woman charged with killing housemate

A 44-year-old North Philadelphia woman has been arrested and charged with fatally stabbing her housemate during what police called a domestic dispute over the weekend.

Police said Anita McKeithan, 47, was stabbed once in the chest about 3:45 a.m. Saturday inside the rowhouse on the 4400 block of North Franklin Street in the Hunting Park section.

Investigators arrested Tanya L. Locks and charged her the same day with murder and possession of an instrument of crime.

Police did not disclose details about the dispute that allegedly triggered the stabbing.

A preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 28 for Locks.

Police in the meantime identified the victim of another slaying Saturday night.

Caliek Ruffin, 28, who also was known as Jason Ruffin, was found shot in the head, chest and legs in a rear alley on Alden Street near Locust Street in West Philadelphia about 7 p.m. Saturday.

Ruffin, of the 5400 block of Webster Street, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Investigators have not reported if they have established a motive or identified any possible suspects in the killing.

As of 12:01 a.m. today, there have been 313 criminal homicides in the city this year, compared to 289 during the same period last year. This year's total includes the 8 alleged victims of a West Philadelphia abortion doctor who all died before 2011.