April 11, 2023
Street View/Google Maps
Cheltenham Township Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a woman who was found dead in her SUV at the Dunkin' Donuts in the Melrose Shopping Center on Tuesday, April 11, 2023.
Authorities in Montgomery County are searching for a suspect who fatally shot a woman in her car Tuesday morning at a Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru in Cheltenham. The gunman fled the scene in a light-colored sedan and remains at large, investigators said.
The shooting happened around 7:40 a.m. at the coffee shop in the Melrose Shopping Center at Front Street and Cheltenham Avenue, police said. Rachel King, 35, of Elkins Park, was found dead in the driver's seat of her black Ford Edge, police said. The shots had been fired through the driver's side window and King had multiple gunshot wounds.
King's 11-year-old son was in the rear of the car at the time of the shooting, officials said. He was not injured.
Surveillance video showed King driving westbound on Cheltenham Avenue before turning into the shopping center and entering the line of traffic in the Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru lane, police said. A light-colored sedan, possibly a Ford or Mercury, was seen driving a short distance behind King's car.
A man exited the sedan, walked up to the driver's side of King's car and fired several shots through the window, police said. The man then ran back to his car and fled the scene, driving eastbound on Cheltenham Avenue.
"This appears to be a targeted murder of a mother," Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said, noting that the gunman never tried to talk to King or open the door to her car before opening fire.
Montgomery County prosecutors released two photos of the sedan that was driven by the suspect.
Authorities are searching for the driver of this vehicle. He is suspected to be involved in the shooting outside Dunkin' Donuts in Cheltenham on Tuesday morning.
The suspect wanted in the shooting of 35-year-old Rachel King was seen leaving Dunkin' Donuts in the vehicle shown above.
Earlier Tuesday, Cheltenham police urged people to avoid the area of the shopping center due to a heavy police presence. Philadelphia police and Montgomery County Detectives are assisting in the investigation.
Anyone with information regarding the vehicle involved in this shooting or the shooter is asked to contact Cheltenham police at (215) 885-1600 (extension 400) or Montgomery County Detectives at (610) 226-5553. Tips also can be called into the Montco Detective Tip Line at (610) 278-3648.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
