July 27, 2016
Contributed photo/Upper Darby Police Department
Upper Darby police say Lawrence A. Lucas, 39, of the 3100 block of Magee Street, Philadelphia, allegedly fatally shot a man as part of a revenge killing plot.
Upper Darby patrolmen and criminal investigators quickly cracked a fatal shooting case thanks to witnesses and video surveillance tapes obtained from area businesses early Tuesday.
Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said police believe this was an assassination revenge killing for the defendant spending seven years in prison for a drug-dealing conviction in 2008.
The victim, Dewayne Lancaster, 29, of the 7200 block of Walnut Street, Upper Darby, and the defendant Lawrence A. Lucas, 39, of the 3100 block of Magee Street, Philadelphia shared an apartment in 2008 when Lucas was sentenced to jail time.
“Lucas just got out of jail in 2015,” Chitwood said. “We believe he killed this guy out of revenge for setting him up. Lucas is a bad guy. He also spent six and a half years in prison for a 1996 murder conviction. This was an assassination. The shooter had been stalking him and laying in wait for the victim to come home from work.
We believe the victim was followed by another guy.”
Chitwood did not disclose the identity of the accomplice noting the case is still actively being investigated.
Lancaster was shot at close range and pronounced dead in the courtyard of his apartment complex shortly before 1 a.m. Tuesday.
Lucas was arraigned Wednesday morning on homicide and first- and third-degree murder charges and related offenses.
A convicted felon, Lucas was jailed on no bail pending a preliminary hearing Aug. 1 in district court.
According to Chitwood, police were dispatched to Walnut Street for a report of a man screaming and shots fired at 12:40 a.m.
“Police checked and found four bullet casings in the courtyard area,” Chitwood said. “They located a trail of blood and found the victim face down in the bushes. He had multiple gunshot wounds to the torso and head. Police were coming in from all different directions for the call and interviewed witnesses.
“Witnesses saw a guy, wearing all black clothes and a light or white baseball cap, running out of the courtyard. Officer Samuel Sproull remembered seeing a man fitting that description walking at a brisk pace on Long Lane and put out the call. Officer Ryan Wiseley stopped Lucas, who fit the description, outside 69th Street Terminal. He was sweating profusely and appeared to be out of breath. One of the witnesses was transported to the stop and said she was 80 percent certain it was the male seen fleeing from the shooting.”
According to Chitwood, investigators obtained surveillance videos from businesses in the vicinity and were able to identify Lucas seen circling Shelbourne and Calvin roads, near Walnut Street in his car, a Chevrolet Equinox.
“We found his car parked on Calvin Road approximately one block from the shooting scene,” Chitwood said. “He was never able to get back to his car because of the number of police responding to the scene. He’s not talking. He ain’t giving up nothing. He’s like a prisoner of war. All of the officers from the first call till 10 o’clock last night were nothing but perfect. There is a lot more work to do building the case but between police officers and criminal investigators they did a perfect investigation.”
According to the affidavit, police found Lucas’ car keys in his pocket and noticed possible blood spatter on the brim of his hat.
“We have not found the gun used,” Chitwood said.
Besides criminal homicide and first- and third-degree murders charges, Lucas was charged with illegal possession of a firearm, carrying an unlicensed firearm and possessing instruments of crime.
