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Suspect Arrested in Killing Of Tennis Stars' Older Sister
Police investigating the slaying of Venus and Serena Williams' older sister focused on the possibility that a gang feud or a drug dispute might have led to the death of the 31-year-old mother of three.
Aaron Michael Hammer, 24, was held without bail after being booked for investigation of murder. As many as four others were being sought for questioning, Los Angeles County sheriff's investigators said.
Hammer has ties to a Compton street gang although he is not a member, authorities said, declining to elaborate. He also has been convicted on counts of check forgery and commercial burglary.
He had been set to be arraigned Tuesday morning, but the court appearance was postponed.
Yetunde Price, 31, was shot in the chest as she sat in a sport utility vehicle shortly after midnight PT on Sunday, about a mile from the tennis courts where her younger sisters first rose to prominence in this violence-plagued city southeast of Los Angeles.
The motive and whether she knew her assailant were unclear.
Investigators said Price and a man in the SUV with Price got into some kind of dispute with a group of residents in front of a home on Greenleaf Boulevard, which was known for gangs and drugs.
"At this point we just don't know if this is gang or narcotics,'' said sheriff's Lt. Daniel Rosenberg, a homicide detective. "I can tell you there are certain indications to suggest this location has involved either gangs or drugs. The house was troublesome.''
After the shooting Rolland Wormley, the man in the SUV, drove Price to his relative's house in neighboring Long Beach and called 911. She was taken to a Long Beach hospital, where she died.
Wormley, 28, was arrested for investigation of violating his parole and assault with a deadly weapon using a firearm, sheriff's Deputy Bill Spear said. He did not have details and could not say whether the alleged assault involved Sunday's confrontation.
Wormley has a long criminal history that included convictions for transporting or selling marijuana, vehicle theft, receiving stolen goods and unlawful firearm activity, said Sandi Gibbons, spokeswoman for the county district attorney's office.
Wormley also was expected to be arraigned Tuesday.
Price was divorced and had three children, ages 5, 9 and 11. She lived in Corona, 40 miles from Compton.
Price, one of five sisters who spent their early years in Compton, was a registered nurse who owned a beauty salon. She also served as a personal assistant to her famous half sisters, who moved to Florida with their parents when they turned pro as teenagers.
Raymone Bain, publicist for Serena Williams, said the family was in shock.
"They're all together now, leaning on each other, trying to come to terms with this,'' Bain said. "I know it's going to take them a long time to recover from this.''
At an anti-violence rally Monday night, activists and residents raised candles in Price's memory, chanting, "Stop the violence. Increase the peace.'' Many were saddened that the Williams family couldn't escape the violence.
"Why in this city of all cities? The city they loved. The city that they learned in, that they trained in,'' asked Patricia Moore, a family friend who has lived here for 30 years. "They've worked so hard to come up. They worked so hard to improve. They represent the highest of the highs for us.''
Source: The AP
Aaron Michael Hammer, 24, was held without bail after being booked for investigation of murder. As many as four others were being sought for questioning, Los Angeles County sheriff's investigators said.
Hammer has ties to a Compton street gang although he is not a member, authorities said, declining to elaborate. He also has been convicted on counts of check forgery and commercial burglary.
He had been set to be arraigned Tuesday morning, but the court appearance was postponed.
Yetunde Price, 31, was shot in the chest as she sat in a sport utility vehicle shortly after midnight PT on Sunday, about a mile from the tennis courts where her younger sisters first rose to prominence in this violence-plagued city southeast of Los Angeles.
The motive and whether she knew her assailant were unclear.
Investigators said Price and a man in the SUV with Price got into some kind of dispute with a group of residents in front of a home on Greenleaf Boulevard, which was known for gangs and drugs.
"At this point we just don't know if this is gang or narcotics,'' said sheriff's Lt. Daniel Rosenberg, a homicide detective. "I can tell you there are certain indications to suggest this location has involved either gangs or drugs. The house was troublesome.''
After the shooting Rolland Wormley, the man in the SUV, drove Price to his relative's house in neighboring Long Beach and called 911. She was taken to a Long Beach hospital, where she died.
Wormley, 28, was arrested for investigation of violating his parole and assault with a deadly weapon using a firearm, sheriff's Deputy Bill Spear said. He did not have details and could not say whether the alleged assault involved Sunday's confrontation.
Wormley has a long criminal history that included convictions for transporting or selling marijuana, vehicle theft, receiving stolen goods and unlawful firearm activity, said Sandi Gibbons, spokeswoman for the county district attorney's office.
Wormley also was expected to be arraigned Tuesday.
Price was divorced and had three children, ages 5, 9 and 11. She lived in Corona, 40 miles from Compton.
Price, one of five sisters who spent their early years in Compton, was a registered nurse who owned a beauty salon. She also served as a personal assistant to her famous half sisters, who moved to Florida with their parents when they turned pro as teenagers.
Raymone Bain, publicist for Serena Williams, said the family was in shock.
"They're all together now, leaning on each other, trying to come to terms with this,'' Bain said. "I know it's going to take them a long time to recover from this.''
At an anti-violence rally Monday night, activists and residents raised candles in Price's memory, chanting, "Stop the violence. Increase the peace.'' Many were saddened that the Williams family couldn't escape the violence.
"Why in this city of all cities? The city they loved. The city that they learned in, that they trained in,'' asked Patricia Moore, a family friend who has lived here for 30 years. "They've worked so hard to come up. They worked so hard to improve. They represent the highest of the highs for us.''
Source: The AP