Scene of the crime: A triple-fatal shooting occurred inside a house at 4600 Vista St. last Saturday. MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMES PHOTO
A pattern of violence has developed around Torresdale Avenue and Vista Street in Holmesburg. And the body count is growing with each successive outbreak.
Last Saturday’s triple-fatal shooting inside a house at 4600 Vista occurred less than five months after two women were shot to death inside their home barely a block away. In all, gunfire has claimed six lives on that section of Vista Street within the last year, including another murder last February.
Police learned of the latest slayings shortly before 11:30 p.m. Saturday when someone called 911 to report a “person screaming,” Philadelphia police said. The officers went into the first-floor unit of the duplex rowhouse and found three men each suffering from gunshot wounds of the head.
Paramedics pronounced the victims dead at the scene. They were identified as Ramon Ortiz, 40, of the 4600 block of Vista St.; Sarith Mang, 30, of the 5000 block of N. 12th St.; and Jason Stratos, 40, of Bristol, Bucks County.
The person screaming turned out to be the girlfriend of one of the victims who discovered the bodies, police said. A motive for the slayings is not known. Police did not disclose when the slayings may have occurred. The girlfriend told police that she last spoke to her boyfriend by telephone at about 5 p.m. Saturday, according to a 6ABC report.
Ironically, in the aftermath of the murders, a sign remained posted next to the entrance of the house stating, “Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again.”
Gunfire has ravaged the 4600 and 4700 blocks of Vista St. in recent months. The street is just two blocks from St. Hubert’s High School for Girls and Russo Park.
In August, James Mears allegedly took part in the execution-style murders of Dollie Evans, 67, and her roommate, Ruby Thomas, 57, inside Evans’ house on the 4700 block of Vista St.
According to testimony at Mears’ preliminary hearing last month, the defendant told homicide detectives that when he needed a place to live, Evans — who was known affectionately to friends as “Grandma” — allowed him to stay in her home. But Grandma had a criminal side, Mears claimed. She was selling crack cocaine, according to the accused killer. Mears began helping her.
Mears further told police that he conspired with another man, who was not identified in court, to stage a home invasion robbery of Grandma. Mears left the door unlocked so that the conspirator could burst in and demand the woman’s cash and drugs. But things went bad and the other man shot Evans to death. The intruder shot Thomas because she witnessed the initial slaying, Mears said, according to police.
Mears is awaiting trial on two murder charges. A trial date has not been set.
In an unrelated slaying, Claude Thomas allegedly shot Rasheed Shannon in the face last Feb. 2 following an argument between the two in front of Thomas’ residence on the 4600 block of Vista St. It is unknown if Claude Thomas, 27, was related to Ruby Thomas. Claude Thomas’ murder trial is set to begin on March 9.
In addition, at least one robbery and three burglaries were reported on the 4600 block of Vista St. last year. ••
