Chester student wanted for Toby Farms shooting
Police: Basketball star Tyreke Evans was driving SUV during shooting
CHESTER TOWNSHIP - A 16-year-old Chester High School student is wanted on first-degree murder charges for the Nov. 25 shooting death of Marcus Reason.
An arrest warrant was signed Friday for Jamar "Mar-Mar" Evans, of the 900 block of Madison Street, Chester.
Evans, who is considered armed and dangerous, has been absent from school and has not been home since Reason was found shot to death on the steps of a house in the 1500 block of Rainer Road in Toby Farms at about 4:45 p.m. Nov. 25, police said.
An ongoing feud between rival gangs from Chester City's Madison Street corridor and Toby Farms is behind the shooting that ended 19-year-old Reason's life, according to police.
A witness identified Jamar Evans as the gunman who fired the fatal shot from the front passenger seat of a Ford Expedition driven by American Christian basketball star Tyreke Evans, a three-time All-Delco, according to the affidavit of probable cause written by County Detective Michael Palmer and Chester Township Officer Robert Faline.
Tyreke Evans, widely considered one of the top high school basketball players in the country, has not been charged in connection with Reason's murder and is cooperating with authorities, according to Police Chief Booker Wilson.
The witness, who was not named, was with Reason at a house in the 1500 block of Rainer Road minutes before he was killed, according to the affidavit. Reason allegedly told the witness "some guys they were having problems with" were inside of a house across the street and were looking out of the window at him, the affidavit states.
The witness told police he was outside with Reason when he saw Tyreke Evans leave the house across the street and get into a gold or tan Ford Expedition with chrome rims and dark tinted windows, according to the affidavit.
Tyreke Evans pulled the Expedition in front of the house across the street, as Jamar Evans and Rasheen "Ra-Ra" Blackwell walked outside. The witness said he saw Blackwell tuck a chrome automatic handgun into his waistband as he got into the rear passenger seat behind Tyreke Evans, the affidavit states. Jamar Evans, Tyreke Evans' cousin, got into the front passenger seat.
According to the witness' account, the front passenger window on the Expedition went down as Reason started down the front steps of the house, the affidavit states. The witness said he saw Reason fall to the ground, then yell, "I'm shot," as the Expedition sped away toward Powell Road.
Earlier this week, in a taped statement, Tyreke Evans told investigators that, after his basketball game Nov. 25, he drove to his aunt's house on Rainer Road with Jamar Evans, Blackwell and Dwayne Davis. Tyreke Evans said they were watching the end of the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears NFL game when his mother called him on his cell phone and told him the pies she had just baked were ready.
According to the affidavit, Tyreke Evans went outside, got into his SUV and pulled it in front of his aunt's house to pick up Jamar Evans, Blackwell and Davis. He told investigators his cousin got into the front passenger seat, Blackwell and Davis got into the back.
According to Tyreke Evans' account, Blackwell and Davis began yelling, "Go, he's about to shoot," the affidavit states.
Tyreke Evans said he heard a single gunshot coming from the rear of his SUV. He then heard a second gunshot, which sounded louder, according to the affidavit.
As he drove away, Tyreke Evans looked over and saw his cousin putting a brown-handled silver handgun into the front pocket of his sweatshirt, according to the affidavit.
They left Toby Farms and drove to Tyreke Evans' house on Smithers Street. Jamar Evans and Blackwell left after a few minutes, the affidavit states. A short time later, Blackwell allegedly "chirped" Davis on his Nextel cell phone, asking him about the gun.
"Nobody touchin' that gun," Davis allegedly responded.
Davis also gave investigators a taped statement about the events of Nov. 25. His account was similar to Tyreke Evans', except Davis said he saw Reason walk out of an alleyway with a gun as he and the others were getting into the Expedition, the affidavit states. Davis said he saw Reason run toward the Expedition with a gun pointed at them, according to the affidavit.
"He's about to shoot," Davis said he and Blackwell yelled, as Tyreke Evans pulled away. Reason fired one shot at them, according to Davis' account, the affidavit states.
Davis said he heard a second gunshot, louder than the first, then saw Jamar Evans pull his right arm back inside of the SUV and tuck a silver handgun into his sweatshirt pocket.
Davis said when they got to Tyreke Evans' house, they received several phone calls telling them Reason had died and several people had seen Tyreke Evans leaving the area, the affidavit states. Other people also called Davis to say they knew he and his friends were involved in Reason's death, Davis allegedly told investigators.
Blackwell allegedly called Davis while he was at Tyreke Evans' house wanting to know about the gun. "I'm not touchin' no gun," Davis responded, according to the affidavit.
"We tossed the gun under a car," Blackwell allegedly responded, according to the affidavit. "Ya'll a bunch of%+*$%#$$."
Police have not charged anyone except Jamar Evans in connection with Reason's murder.
Jamar Evans, who is being charged as an adult, is 5-foot, 5-inches tall, 145 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.
Anyone who has information as to his whereabouts is asked to contact Palmer at (610) 476-0498 or Faline at (610) 494-0211.