Post by LadyBlue on May 14, 2006 19:54:44 GMT -5
A Blair County woman who was with James “J” Tucker the night he was gunned down and torched in Reade Township now is charged with helping his accused killers rob him.
State police say Christina DeStefano — now facing a felony count of conspiracy to commit robbery — was part of a plot to rob cash and drugs from Tucker.
Tucker, named in court records as a drug dealer, was robbed of thousands of dollars in cash and several ounces of crack cocaine near Fire Tower Road in rural northern Cambria County, investigators said.
He also was shot three times in the chest area, dragged to a secluded area and set on fire by his robbers.
Police say Torone Dixon, 25, of Tyrone pulled the trigger, and Damien M. Pierce, 31, of Altoona and John E. Mease, 28, of Bellwood robbed him and set his fatally wounded body on fire.
According to a search warrant application, DeStefano, 20, made phone calls to her grandmother after Tucker’s body was found and at one point said she was being held against her will.
She was considered missing for more than a week. She flagged down a patrolman in Philadelphia and was returned to Blair County late last week.
Dixon is charged with unlawful restraint, specifically for forcing DeStefano to remain with him after the murder, according to a criminal complaint.
Dixon, Mease and Pierce face homicide and aggravated assault charges.
As the accused gunman, Dixon also is charged with first- and second-degree murder among other charges.
Each remained in Cambria County Prison as of Thursday afternoon. A court clerk at District Judge Charity Nileski’s office said their May 18 preliminary hearing has been continued, but a date has not been set.
According to state police Sgt. William Bonin, DeStefano was arraigned Thursday. She apparently has been released on bail.
www.altoonamirror.com/articles.asp?articleID=1518
State police say Christina DeStefano — now facing a felony count of conspiracy to commit robbery — was part of a plot to rob cash and drugs from Tucker.
Tucker, named in court records as a drug dealer, was robbed of thousands of dollars in cash and several ounces of crack cocaine near Fire Tower Road in rural northern Cambria County, investigators said.
He also was shot three times in the chest area, dragged to a secluded area and set on fire by his robbers.
Police say Torone Dixon, 25, of Tyrone pulled the trigger, and Damien M. Pierce, 31, of Altoona and John E. Mease, 28, of Bellwood robbed him and set his fatally wounded body on fire.
According to a search warrant application, DeStefano, 20, made phone calls to her grandmother after Tucker’s body was found and at one point said she was being held against her will.
She was considered missing for more than a week. She flagged down a patrolman in Philadelphia and was returned to Blair County late last week.
Dixon is charged with unlawful restraint, specifically for forcing DeStefano to remain with him after the murder, according to a criminal complaint.
Dixon, Mease and Pierce face homicide and aggravated assault charges.
As the accused gunman, Dixon also is charged with first- and second-degree murder among other charges.
Each remained in Cambria County Prison as of Thursday afternoon. A court clerk at District Judge Charity Nileski’s office said their May 18 preliminary hearing has been continued, but a date has not been set.
According to state police Sgt. William Bonin, DeStefano was arraigned Thursday. She apparently has been released on bail.
www.altoonamirror.com/articles.asp?articleID=1518