Woman charged in N. Phila. beating death

A Strawberry Mansion woman has been charged with murder in the beating death of a 64-year-old grandmother and her dog.

Markita Blackwell, 34, of the 2500 block of North Natrona Street, called police Feb. 2 and said she had found Melva White, known in their neighborhood as "Ms. Poochie," severely beaten in a rowhouse in the 3200 block of West Arizona Street. White's dog had been beaten to death.

Blackwell, in fact, beat White, who died Monday night, and killed her dog, Pup-Pup, homicide Capt. James Clark said yesterday.

Authorities were trying yesterday to get Blackwell into custody.

The two women were acquaintances, and Blackwell was known to visit White's house. Clark said the home was known as a neighborhood speakeasy where neighbors could buy alcohol and small amounts of marijuana.

Neighbors said White, whom they described as a petite woman with a feisty personality, was inseparable from her dog.

Jacquelyne White, 45, the victim's daughter, said she was relieved to hear that someone had been charged, but added: "I won't feel safe until someone is in custody. Until then, nobody can feel safe. It could happen to someone else's mother."