Sign InRegister

Men charged in slaughter of two Richmond families

Stella Harvey, 9, left, and Ruby Harvey, 4, in an undated family photo.

YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS

RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) -- Two men arrested Saturday in the killing of a Richmond family are also suspected of slitting the throats of a musician, his wife and their two young daughters six days earlier, police said.

All seven victims were found bound with tape in their homes, authorities said. The musician's home was set ablaze on New Year's Day, and the other home was ransacked Friday in an apparent robbery.

Police released few details Saturday night about the two men charged in the killings, and they didn't say if detectives had found any personal connections between the suspects and the victims or any motive beyond robbery.

Capt. Benjamin Naish, spokesman for Philadelphia police, said officers aided by a SWAT team entered a house in West Philadelphia and arrested both men.

"I understand there was some struggle, but there was no major incident," Naish said. He said one of the suspects is believed to have family in the Philadelphia area.

Ricky Gavon Gray, believed to be from Arlington, and Ray Joseph Dandridge, both 28, were both charged Saturday in Virginia with conspiracy to commit murder and auto theft, Richmond Police Chief Rodney Monroe said at a news conference announcing the arrests Saturday night.

It was the investigation into Friday's triple homicide that led police to Dandridge and Gray, Monroe said. He said the detectives found evidence linking the assailants to the four killings on New Year's Day, but he declined to give specifics.

"We believe we have put an end to what we consider seven very serious cases in this area," the chief said.

He said neither suspect is from Richmond.

The two sets of vicious killings in the span of a week just after the new year cast a pall over Richmond, a city of about 200,000.

Bryan Harvey, 49, had been a fixture on the local rock music scene since the mid-'80s -- most notably as guitarist and singer for the critically acclaimed duo House of Freaks, which released five albums on three labels from 1987 to 1995.

His wife, Kathryn Harvey, 39, was the half-sister of actor Steven Culp, who played Rex Van De Kamp on "Desperate Housewives." She co-owned World of Mirth, a quirky toy and novelty store in Carytown, a 12-block stretch of trendy boutiques, cafes and coffee shops just west of downtown.

The couple and their daughters, Stella, 9, and Ruby, 4, were found in their basement, bound with tape and with their throats cut, authorities said.

The Harveys had invited friends for a chili party on New Year's Day. Bandmate Johnny Hott, the first to arrive, entered the unlocked front door and was engulfed in smoke. He shouted for a neighbor to call 911, and authorities discovered a fire and the bodies in the basement.

Less than a week later, in another Richmond neighborhood, the bodies of Percyell Tucker, 55; Mary Baskerville, 47; and her 21-year-old daughter, Ashley Baskerville, were found Friday, also bound with duct tape. Monroe did not say how the three were killed.

A makeshift memorial of flowers and candles had built up in Kathryn Harvey's store during the week, along with condolences scrawled on a large poster and sealed letters addressed in children's handwriting to Stella and Ruby.

John Morand, co-owner of a Richmond recording studio and Bryan Harvey's friend for 20 years, said Harvey was the antithesis of the stereotypical rock musician.

"Music was a big part of his life, but he did other things. He was a great dad. You couldn't get a more normal suburban couple," Morand said.

Story Tools

Click Here to try 4 Free Trial Issues of Time!

Section Page

Video

Cubans' suit challenges 'wet foot, dry foot' policy

• Judge: Baby on board is no excuse

• Attorney's death sentence overturned

• Inmate killed priest to 'save the children'

Home Page

Video