Drug Gang Associates Eyed in Arson That Killed Six in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Two associates of notorious drug gangster Kaboni Savage are being targeted by authorities in the Oct. 9 arson-murders of a federal witness's mother and five relatives, the city's worst mass murder since seven were executed on Lex Street in 2000.

Savage, 29, allegedly ordered the pair to retaliate against the family of a onetime top associate, Eugene "Twin" Coleman, an FBI witness against the multi-million dollar Savage-Gerald Thomas drug organization, law enforcement sources said.

One suspect was identified as Lomont Lewis, 28, of Washington Avenue near Cobbs Creek Parkway, according to law enforcement sources.

Yesterday, Lewis, a 5-foot-10 round-faced stocky man in gray prison garb, was held without bail on charges of first-degree murder and weapons violations in the Sept. 13, 2001 murder of Carlton "Muhammad" Brown.

The second suspect is believed be an assailant who spread an accelerant through the North Philadelphia rowhouse before setting it afire, trapping its screaming occupants inside.

He is out on a high bail on drug charges, according to a source, who did not disclose the suspect's identity.

Killed in the arson murders were Coleman's mother, Marcella Coleman, 54, a prison guard at the city's Curran Fromhold Prison, his son, Damir Jenkins, 15 months, and cousin Tameka Nash, 33, Nash's daughter, Khadijah, 10, and nephews Sean Anthony Rodriguez, 15, and Tajh Porchea, 12.

Federal authorities have taken unusual steps to gather evidence against Savage, who is being held in the Federal Detention Center at 7th and Arch streets.

In addition to routinely recording Savage's phone calls, they also wiretapped conversations with relatives who visited him, and chats with inmates through air-vents and toilet bowls for two months after the slayings.

Witnesses also have been subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury.

Savage's attorneys Tariq El-Shabazz and Richard Harris have repeatedly denied that Savage was involved.

No one has been charged in the arson-murders, despite a $100,000 reward donated by the Police Foundation, FBI, Citizens Crime Commission, the school district and private donors.

"They desperately want to solve this," said one source close to the investigation.

In late February, Edward McCann, chief of the homicide unit in the district attorney's office, called to ask attorney A. Charles Peruto, Jr. if he was still representing Lewis, according to Peruto.

"McCann wanted to talk to Lewis about a major arson in Philadelphia," and the homicide chief was willing to negotiate a plea agreement no higher than third-degree murder, said Peruto.

"Lewis wasn't interested," added the attorney, who was not retained. Lewis "didn't have enough money to hire me for any cases in which he is a suspect."

McCann could not be reached for comment late yesterday.

According to sources familiar with the ongoing investigation, Lewis and Savage allegedly committed an unspecified number of murders together. Savage was also known to pick up the legal bills of his associates.

Yesterday, Assistant District Attorney Jason Bologna, questioned three witnesses about Lewis in connection with Brown's murder during a 90-minute preliminary hearing at the Criminal Justice Center.

Brown's girlfriend, Stephanie Ward, 24, testified that she was on the phone with Brown at 11:50 p.m. on Sept. 12, 2001, when he told her he was with "Mont" - a nickname for Lomont Lewis.

Brown asked her to call back in about 10-15 minutes, but she never talked to him again, she said. When she called back about 15-20 minutes later, Brown's cell phone reverted to voice mail.

Brown was later found shot three times, in the head, chest and arm at 64th Street and Lindbergh Boulevard.

Two witnesses, Warren Baker, 24, and Stephen Robinson, 32, testified they were together when they bumped into Lewis outside a bar in Norristown in the fall of 2001.

Lewis told the pair that he had killed Muhammad, as Brown was known, both men testified.

Prior to meeting Lewis in Norristown, Robinson testified, Brown had tried to kill him twice and he moved to Norristown to get away from him. He said he knew Brown and Lewis from North Philadelphia.

Baker said he had grown up with Lewis and Brown in the 8th and Venango Area of North Philadelphia.

In 2002, Peruto represented Lewis in three weapons cases from June 1999 and May and June 2000, in which he received less than two years in prison and three years probation. He was released for time served.

Fourteen defendants in the Savage-Thomas drug ring have pleaded guilty, and some will testify against Savage and four others in a federal drug trial this fall. Savage's partner, Thomas, died of liver cancer on March 6.