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Under heavy criticism over several unsolved murders, the Tempe Police Department arrested two people — including a 14-year-old boy — in connection with the September stabbing death of a homeless man.
Police arrested Ronald Therman-Lamar Alewine, 23, and Javon Desmond Wilson, 14 — each homeless — in connection with the September 28 murder of Casey Blackwood.
Police say Alewine and Wilson murdered Blackwood at an abandoned house at 928 South Maple Drive in Tempe.
Police say the house is frequented by transients, many of whom often sleep there.
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Blackwood was sleeping there when Alewine and Wilson murdered him, police say.
Blackwood and the two suspects apparently had gotten into a fight before the murder.
Police believe Alewine and Wilson sneaked up on the victim while he was sleeping and that Alewine stabbed him repeatedly.
Wilson, police say, provided Alewine with the knife used to stab Blackwood, stood there as he stabbed him, and helped him clean up the mess after the victim was dead.
The two suspects were each frequent loiterers on Mill Avenue, or, as they’re more commonly known, “Mill Rats.”
Both Alewine and Wilson have been charged with first-degree murder, and, assuming they’re the ones who did it, Tempe’s number of unsolved murders this year is down to five.
