Police have arrested a Marconi man they suspect is responsible for the deaths of two Passyunk Square residents.
Just three days after two locals were stabbed to death, police apprehended a suspect.
Omar Johnson, 31, was arrested at 11:45 a.m. Friday when authorities spotted him at Broad and Moore streets, Homicide Capt. James Clark said during Friday’s press conference at police headquarters. He resisted arrest, but was taken into custody after a brief struggle.
Although police originally reported him to be from the 2600 block of South Bancroft Street, Johnson is from the 1500 block of Conlyn Street in North Philly. Johnson was charged with two counts of murder for allegedly killing Eugene Zappacosta, 78, and Janet Burgess, 50, both of the 1300 block of Dickinson Street. Both, Clark said, were “brutally stabbed to death along with two small puppies who were also stabbed and bludgeoned to death.”
He is believed to have had a verbal confrontation of an unknown nature with Burgess in Zappacosta’s Passyunk Square apartment, which was where she was staying, at about 9:52 a.m. Jan. 10, Clark said. The fight turned physical and Johnson is believed to have grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Burgess multiple times. When Zappacosta tried to intervene, he also was killed. The dogs were barking loudly and are believed to have become victims as well in order to not tip off neighbors.
Formerly of the 2500 block of Federal Street, Johnson also was charged with two counts each of causing catastrophe, possession of an instrument of crime, recklessly endangering another person and one count of resisting arrest. He was held without bail, according to court records.
He previously has pled guilty or been convicted of various drug, robbery and forgery charges dating back to 1995 and spanning Philadelphia, Delaware and Lehigh counties, according to court records.
Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
The motive of a double homicide remains unclear as one of the victims has yet to be identified at press time.
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1. Anonymous said... on Jan 13, 2012 at 06:41PM
“No way he lives on 2600 south Bancroft street. Has to be a mistake! Maybe 2600 north Bancroft street.”
2. Anonymous said... on Jan 13, 2012 at 06:44PM
“Looks like a nice guy! His Mother should be proud!
Although, I find it hard to believe he is from the 2600 block of South Bancroft Street!”
3. Anonymous said... on Jan 13, 2012 at 08:26PM
“He should riot in hell that bastard. He sure as hell does live at the 2600 S. Bancroft st, they don't have those like of low lives there. He's sure as hell on the 2600 North bancroft st. Piece of s***.”
4. Tiffany Green said... on Jan 13, 2012 at 08:41PM
“SAVE POINT BREEZE SAY NO TO ROOF DECKS”
5. Anonymous said... on Jan 13, 2012 at 08:45PM
“This is a misprint, He does NOT live on the 2600 block of South Bancroft st.....”
6. Anonymous said... on Jan 13, 2012 at 08:52PM
“savage animal”
7. Anonymous said... on Jan 13, 2012 at 11:02PM
“Him and his kind is the #1 reason philly is f***ed up!!!!”
8. joeydog said... on Jan 14, 2012 at 12:09AM
“This is the reason why the Death penalty should be used”
9. AnimalAbuserHater said... on Jan 14, 2012 at 06:48PM
“I'd love to stab & beat him to death myself on behalf of the little dogs he killed.”
10. Anonymous said... on Jan 15, 2012 at 06:56PM
“Brave guy! Fighting with a 78 yr old man, a 50 yr old women and two puppies. Hope he enjoys prison.”
11. sharp al said... on Jan 16, 2012 at 04:28PM
“He is the victim of this racist society.If he had more opputunities he may have become a brain surgeon.”
12. lin said... on Jan 16, 2012 at 04:40PM
“He is the victim of a racist society you say. He is a animal and a beast not fit to live among human beings. He had the same opportunities every other black person . All black people aren't bad. They are weary of these animals.
Everyone has a choice to do good or bad in this life. How can you become a brain surgeon when you are brain dead. Sharp Al you 're not too sharp.”
13. Anonymous said... on Jan 17, 2012 at 09:33AM
“I live a block away from the crime scene, and I agree this was particularly disturbing, but there's no info in any of the articles I've seen that explains how they were able to connect him to the murders. Prints? DNA? If not, it sounds like a case of the police just grabbing one of the usual suspects.”
14. Anonymous said... on Jan 17, 2012 at 05:50PM
“I don't quite understand this article. He had such a heated argument that he killed both people and their dogs?? Brutally no less, I think there's more to this story than what was printed.”
15. Anonymous said... on Jan 17, 2012 at 08:28PM
“Bancroft and huntingdon to lehigh”
16. rubberhead man said... on Jan 20, 2012 at 04:42PM
“VOTING FOR OBAMMA WILL BE CLASSIFIED AS AHATE CRIME.”
17. Anonymous said... on Jan 25, 2012 at 04:50PM
“oh, snap! i remember this dude slithering around So.Philly ! & all this time we should've been hiding "wife & tha kids! how many more of guys like this are of tha chain??!”