Crime
Two Arrested in Connection with Triple Homicide in Baton Rouge
The victims, Shelita Vallery (40), David Celestine (62), and Paul Lewis (63), were fatally shot.
Two individuals have been charged in connection with a triple homicide that occurred on Friday, September 27th, in the area of Benson Avenue and Grayson Avenue in Baton Rouge.
According to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, the shooting took place around 11 p.m. The victims, Shelita Vallery (40), David Celestine (62), and Paul Lewis (63), were fatally shot. Celestine and Lewis were relatives of Vallery.
The suspects, Dominik Franklin (19) and Tyrone Eackles (19), were also injured during the incident and will be booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison upon their release from the hospital. Franklin faces three counts of first-degree murder, while Eackles is charged with three counts of principal to first-degree murder and illegal use of a firearm.
Deputies believe that Franklin was the shooter and that Eackles was his accomplice. The shooting is believed to be the result of an ongoing feud between Franklin and the Vallery family.
According to authorities, the suspects arrived at a home on Grayson Avenue and became involved in a physical altercation with the victims. The altercation escalated into gunfire, resulting in the deaths of the three victims. One of the victims is believed to have returned fire, injuring both suspects.
The investigation into this tragic incident is ongoing.
Crime
Security guard Yahaira Melendez charged with murder after shooting inside IHOP restaurant in Center City Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA, PA — A security guard has been arrested and charged with murder following a fatal shooting at a Center City IHOP over the weekend that left a 43-year-old man dead.
The incident occurred shortly after 11 p.m. on Saturday at the IHOP located in the 1300 block of Walnut Street, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.
When officers arrived, they discovered a man suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. The victim, who police say was unhoused, was transported to Jefferson Hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Investigators report that the victim had been causing a disturbance inside the restaurant prior to the shooting. As security personnel escorted him outside, he allegedly turned and spat on one of the guards.
That guard, identified as 38-year-old Yahaira Melendez, allegedly responded by drawing her firearm and shooting the victim once in the head.
Police say preliminary findings indicate the victim was not armed at the time of the incident.
Melendez, a mother of three, was taken into custody and has been charged with murder and related offenses.
In a statement Melendez’s family expressed shock and disbelief over the situation, writing in part:
“We are shocked and devastated by the tragic events that occurred at the IHOP while she was working security. We know she would never harm anyone unless she felt she had no other choice to protect herself or others.”
The shooting has left nearby workers and residents shaken.
“Escalation — where was the escalation?” asked Karr Anderson, who works next door to the restaurant. “Security guards need to know how to withhold, how to show restraint.”
Philadelphia Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting, including whether proper security protocols were followed and what led to the use of deadly force.
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the deceased pending family notification.