Bucks County jury still out in killing of pregnant woman, 4 year-old girl
A jury was expected to resume deliberations in the trial of a suburban Philadelphia man charged with killing a pregnant woman and her 4-year-old daughter because he wanted the woman’s drug business.
The Bucks County jury deliberated about 3 1/2 hours Tuesday without reaching a verdict in the case of 22-year-old Marcel Johnson.
Authorities say the Bristol Township man stabbed Ebony Talley, 22, and R’Mani Rankins in November 2013 and then set fire to the Levittown apartment to destroy evidence.
Prosecutors want the jury to convict Johnson of first-degree murder, citing his DNA under the victim’s fingernails. If convicted, Johnson could face the death penalty.
Johnson’s defense attorney says an inmate who testified that Johnson acknowledged the killings might have learned of the case on the news and lied to police.
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.