Dakota Valkyrie
July 23rd, 2009, 09:55 AM
http://i25.tinypic.com/6fz7kh.jpg
Andrea Arrington, a 23-year-old working mother, was a strong-willed Ridley High grad with a supportive family, big plans for the future and the drive to make them a reality.
She'd just been accepted to Temple University and wanted to become a radio broadcaster.
Her ex-boyfriend Aaron Michael, the troubled son of a longtime Chester cop, had other things in mind.
Infuriated that Arrington had filed a restraining order against him, Michael, 29, grabbed his father's .40-caliber handgun - believed to be his service pistol - Monday night and ambushed Arrington in Ridley Township when she arrived at the babysitter's house to pick up their 2-year-old son, police said.
He opened fire before the babysitter opened the door.
[...]
It wasn't the first life that Michael has taken, Delaware County District Attorney G. Michael Green said yesterday afternoon.
In a phone confession that he made to two friends after killing Arrington, Michael admitted to slaying two sons he had fathered with other women, Green said.
The causes of deaths of 4-year-old Lamar Patrick on Sept. 29, 2005, and of 4-month-old Alijah Townes on July 21, 2007, had been ruled "undetermined" by the county Medical Examiner's Office. But both boys' mothers were "extremely suspicious" of the circumstances of their deaths, Green said.
Michael had been interviewed in relation to both cases and had maintained his innocence, Green said.
Michael confessed at about midnight Monday while holed up in his dad's house, where he had gone after shooting Arrington.
Moments later, he was shot by a Chester police officer and was pronounced dead at 12:36 a.m. yesterday. Green said that Michael refused to drop his gun when police asked.
Michael had been living with his father, John Michael, a 15-year veteran of the force. He was in Florida at the time.
"That telephone conversation took place literally minutes before the exchange with Chester police that resulted in his death," Green said of the confession. "Up until this moment, this is the first firm information we have suggesting that his hand had any part to do with the death of Lamar Patrick and Alijah Townes."
Patrick died overnight in what "appeared to be" a possible choking, Green said. Townes tested positive for meningitis, but that was not determined to have killed him, Green said. Both mothers have been notified of Michael's admission.
[...]
Thornton-Arrington said her daughter had broken up with Michael weeks ago and filed a protection-from-abuse order this month. He responded by threatening to kill her entire family and harassing her, she said.
"While still conscious, in a dying declaration, Andrea was able to tell the police officers that Aaron Michael shot her and that she had a protection-from-abuse petition and order entered against him," Green said.
[...]http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/51374747.html
Nicole Townes has always believed Aaron Michael killed their 4-month-old son, Alijah two years ago to the day. It was Michael's first time alone with his boy, several hours into the father-son day Michael was at the hospital.
"He said his tongue was protruding from the side and his color was disoriented. He called the hospital and said something is wrong with my son. They said bring him in."
Townes was immediately suspicious. 2 years earlier Michael's 4-year-old son with another woman, Lamar Patrick, also died.
The medical examiner ruled the manner of death in both cases to be undetermined. He suspected Alijah may have died from meningitis and Patrick from choking on candy. But Townes still had her doubts.
"For one my son was healthy, two he went to the doctor 3 days prior to his death."
At the doctor's Alijah received a clean bill of health.
Action News questioned Michael two years ago he denied killing his boys.
In both deaths, investigators say Michael was the focus of the investigation but the District Attorney simply didn't have enough evidence in light of the medical examiners report.
But Michael's admission to two friends shortly before his death confirms what Townes says she knew all along her little boy was murdered.
"It's a little bit of relief for me because I feel like maybe I can finally move on and that chapter of my life of Alijah can slowly begin to close and have a little bit of closure."
Michael has 5 other children. One question remains. Why would Michael want to kill his sons? Townes believes the motive for her son's death, was an upcoming child support hearing.http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=6925087
Andrea Arrington, a 23-year-old working mother, was a strong-willed Ridley High grad with a supportive family, big plans for the future and the drive to make them a reality.
She'd just been accepted to Temple University and wanted to become a radio broadcaster.
Her ex-boyfriend Aaron Michael, the troubled son of a longtime Chester cop, had other things in mind.
Infuriated that Arrington had filed a restraining order against him, Michael, 29, grabbed his father's .40-caliber handgun - believed to be his service pistol - Monday night and ambushed Arrington in Ridley Township when she arrived at the babysitter's house to pick up their 2-year-old son, police said.
He opened fire before the babysitter opened the door.
[...]
It wasn't the first life that Michael has taken, Delaware County District Attorney G. Michael Green said yesterday afternoon.
In a phone confession that he made to two friends after killing Arrington, Michael admitted to slaying two sons he had fathered with other women, Green said.
The causes of deaths of 4-year-old Lamar Patrick on Sept. 29, 2005, and of 4-month-old Alijah Townes on July 21, 2007, had been ruled "undetermined" by the county Medical Examiner's Office. But both boys' mothers were "extremely suspicious" of the circumstances of their deaths, Green said.
Michael had been interviewed in relation to both cases and had maintained his innocence, Green said.
Michael confessed at about midnight Monday while holed up in his dad's house, where he had gone after shooting Arrington.
Moments later, he was shot by a Chester police officer and was pronounced dead at 12:36 a.m. yesterday. Green said that Michael refused to drop his gun when police asked.
Michael had been living with his father, John Michael, a 15-year veteran of the force. He was in Florida at the time.
"That telephone conversation took place literally minutes before the exchange with Chester police that resulted in his death," Green said of the confession. "Up until this moment, this is the first firm information we have suggesting that his hand had any part to do with the death of Lamar Patrick and Alijah Townes."
Patrick died overnight in what "appeared to be" a possible choking, Green said. Townes tested positive for meningitis, but that was not determined to have killed him, Green said. Both mothers have been notified of Michael's admission.
[...]
Thornton-Arrington said her daughter had broken up with Michael weeks ago and filed a protection-from-abuse order this month. He responded by threatening to kill her entire family and harassing her, she said.
"While still conscious, in a dying declaration, Andrea was able to tell the police officers that Aaron Michael shot her and that she had a protection-from-abuse petition and order entered against him," Green said.
[...]http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/51374747.html
Nicole Townes has always believed Aaron Michael killed their 4-month-old son, Alijah two years ago to the day. It was Michael's first time alone with his boy, several hours into the father-son day Michael was at the hospital.
"He said his tongue was protruding from the side and his color was disoriented. He called the hospital and said something is wrong with my son. They said bring him in."
Townes was immediately suspicious. 2 years earlier Michael's 4-year-old son with another woman, Lamar Patrick, also died.
The medical examiner ruled the manner of death in both cases to be undetermined. He suspected Alijah may have died from meningitis and Patrick from choking on candy. But Townes still had her doubts.
"For one my son was healthy, two he went to the doctor 3 days prior to his death."
At the doctor's Alijah received a clean bill of health.
Action News questioned Michael two years ago he denied killing his boys.
In both deaths, investigators say Michael was the focus of the investigation but the District Attorney simply didn't have enough evidence in light of the medical examiners report.
But Michael's admission to two friends shortly before his death confirms what Townes says she knew all along her little boy was murdered.
"It's a little bit of relief for me because I feel like maybe I can finally move on and that chapter of my life of Alijah can slowly begin to close and have a little bit of closure."
Michael has 5 other children. One question remains. Why would Michael want to kill his sons? Townes believes the motive for her son's death, was an upcoming child support hearing.http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=6925087