James Mears
Things may not have been what they initially seemed on the 4700 block of Vista St. last Aug. 23. Then again, the fatal shootings of two women there in an apparent home invasion robbery should have come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the block.
According to testimony given in a Center City courtroom on Nov. 25, robbers targeted the elder of the two victims, 67-year-old Dollie Evans — who was known affectionately by neighbors as “Grandma” — because she sold crack from her house. Evans’ roommate, Ruby Thomas, 57, was slain after she witnessed Evans’ murder.
Those revelations were contained in a statement to police allegedly given by defendant James Mears, as read from the witness stand by Homicide Unit Detective James Crone. After police arrested Mears on Aug. 26, he allegedly admitted to a role in the slayings, although he denied that he pulled the trigger.
Municipal Court Judge Patrick Dugan ordered Mears, 25, held for trial on two charges of general murder, along with conspiracy, robbery and weapons offenses. Mears will be arraigned on Dec. 16 and is being held at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility.
Mears allegedly told detectives that he was renting a room from Evans and helping her push crack when he conspired with a friend called “Mann” to shake down his landlord for cash and drugs that she kept in the house. Mears, Evans and Thomas all were home at about 5:30 p.m. that Saturday when Mears intentionally left the door ajar and the accomplice burst into the place. The intruder ordered Evans to surrender her purse, then shot her fatally in the head, according to Mears. Police later found her body in the first-floor living room.
After that, the accomplice — a man whom authorities said they have identified but not charged — allegedly went upstairs, choked Thomas with a power cord and shot her in the head. Police found her body in the second-floor front bedroom.
The gunman fled with about $700 cash and drugs worth $500, according to the testimony. Mears planned to meet the accomplice days later to split the proceeds, but police arrested Mears first.
Violence had plagued the block, including Evans’ own family, in the months leading up to the double murder.
In the previous year, at least three aggravated assaults had been reported on the block, including a July 5 shooting in which Evans’ grandson was targeted.
Also, at least one murder, one robbery and three burglaries had been reported during the prior year.
Ironically, the murder was blamed on a man named Claude Thomas, although authorities have disclosed no connection between him and Ruby Thomas. Claude Thomas, 27, is awaiting trial for the fatal shooting of Rasheed Shannon, 25, on the block last Feb. 2. ••
