Two people were charged this week in the bizarre fatal Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru shooting of a Philadelphia teacher, which prosecutors say was a hit plotted by a spurned romantic rival.
Prosecutors announced on Wednesday that Julie Jean, 34, had been charged with first- and third-degree murder and conspiracy based on evidence that she plotted with a hitman to kill Rachel King, 35, who was shot dead in front of her 11-year-old son in Cheltenham on April 11, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
The alleged gunman, Zakkee Steven Alhakim, 33, remains in custody and will also be charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and related crimes, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said.
Jean had a brief affair last year with King’s long-term partner, William Hayes, according to the Inquirer.
When King discovered the infidelity, Hayes left Jean and the couple reconciled. An arrest affidavit obtained by the outlet details how the rejection prompted Jean to stalk and harrass Hayes, including frequently turning up at his apartment unannounced.
Hayes was granted a protection-from-abuse order against his former paramour in December, Steele confirmed at the Wednesday press conference.
Jean subsequently contacted Alhakim, who is related to the father of her children. The two planned the shooting over text, which included a Google Maps screenshot of King’s apartment.
Jean also showed Alhakim pictures of King during an in-person meeting, the Inquirer said. In March, she bought him a Mercury Sable that matched the description of the vehicle at the scene of the shooting and on surveillance footage outside King’s residence in the days leading up to her death.
On April 11, Alhakim was seen exiting the car before firing multiple point-blank shots into the driver’s side window of King’s Ford Edge at around 7:39 a.m.
Although Alhakim denied even knowing Jean in an interview with police, authorities matched the Mercury to both King’s death and another homicide in the city on April 7. Further analysis revealed that both crimes were carried out with the same .9 mm handgun.
A photograph of the “ghost gun” was also later found on Alhakim’s cell phone.
He was then arrested and charged related to the April 7 homicide, and remains in custody.
A warrant for Jean’s cellphone revealed that she deleted 787 text messages just moments before her own interview, including all of her communication with Alhakim.
Jean was arraigned in Montgomery County this week and denied bond, CBS News reported. Alhakim will be arraigned on the charges related to King’s murder on Thursday.
In the wake of her death, family and friends remembered King as a dedicated mother and beloved teacher at Grover Cleveland Mastery Charter School.
“She was there for me always,” student Saleem Garay told CBS in the wake of King’s death.
“She may not be famous, but…she was great,” King’s mother, Carol King, at the Wednesday news conference.
“So her memory will never be lost.”
“Above all, we are in agreement that we want justice done. We want it done swiftly. We want it done accurately and we want it done fairly,” her father, Rev. Allen King, added.
