Woman arrested in Chew Avenue grocer's killing

A fight in an East Mount Airy grocery store Saturday spilled out onto the sidewalk, where the store's 61-year-old co-owner was shot to death, detectives said yesterday.

Police arrested Nicole Dolby-Becham, 27, who lives a block from the store, and charged her with homicide and weapons offenses in the death of Jongyoum Kim of Northeast Philadelphia.

Dolby-Becham fired four shots, killing Kim, then called police from a pay phone, detectives said.

Police did not immediately say what sparked the fight at 1:30 p.m. in Andy's Food Market in the 6700 block of Chew Avenue.

Detectives said the brawl involved a pole used to grab items from high shelves, but it wasn't clear who seized hold of it first.

Customer Diane Mills said it was unlike Kim to struggle with anyone.

"The most she would do is ask them to leave the store," Mills said.

Neighbors described Kim as kindly. They said she and her husband, Chong Chin Kim, 70, had run the store for at least 16 years. They have a son and daughter.

"She would give my daughter candy and treats when I was walking her in a stroller," said Jeanene Williams, 36, whose daughter Shannell is now 11.

As part of a makeshift memorial in front of the store, Mills taped a sheet of cardboard on the wall over the Newport and Maverick cigarette ads and attached marking pens so customers could express their condolences.

Priscilla Worthey, 52, and others arranged stuffed animals on top of the phone that Dolby-Becham used to call police. "Ms. Kim loved children," Worthey said.

The messages soon filled the cardboard, and mourners' sentiments spilled over onto the stucco wall.

Drawings of hearts decorated expressions of grief: "Rest in Peace," "Love Always," "Neighborhood Luvs U!," "We'll Miss You," and "You will live in our hearts," signed by Austin, Destiny and Tati and dozens of others.

According to neighbors, Kim seemed to run the place. She was more outgoing than her husband and would joke with customers, they said. Her husband had been picking up supplies when she was shot.

He also made the coffee every morning, said Marian Ebo, who left a note on the wall: "God bless your family," signed "Coffee Ebo." "He'll know who I am," she said.

Neighbor Eugene Jenkins said Chong Kim told him, "My better half has gone." The pair were married 38 years, Jenkins said.

As they watched cars slow to look at the memorial yesterday, Jenkins and regular customer Jose Lozado, 20, said they hoped Chong Kim would reopen the store.

"We want him to know we love him," Lozado said.