Assassination scene of two (2) retired Philly cops at a Wachovia Bank Branch ATM by a convicted felon, Mustafa Ali who had recently been in prison for...guess....robbing banks.
Posted on 10/06/2007 6:12:03 AM PDT by DCBryan1
CONFESSION IN SLAYINGS
Warrant for car leads to suspect
By DAVID GAMBACORTA, DANA DiFILIPPO & JENNA OSKOWITZ
gambacd@phillynews.com 215-854-5994
A fugitive who previously served federal prison time for bank robberies confessed last night to slaying two retired Philly cops.
The stunning development came just a day after William Widmaier and Joseph Alullo - lifelong friends who found a second career as armored truck guards - were gunned down and robbed as they serviced an ATM in Northeast Philadelphia.
The alleged confessed killer, according to police sources, has been identified as Mustafa Ali.
He was arrested on an outstanding warrant from Middletown Township, Bucks County, at about 4 p.m. outside an apartment complex on Woodhaven Road near Covert Road, said Homicide Capt. Michael Costello.
Investigators also found a four-door black Acura TL in the apartment complex that matched the getaway car that was used by the gunman in Thursday's double slaying. The car had been covered by a dark tarp, Costello said.
The Acura had been purchased some time ago in Middletown Township, but the buyer paid with a bad check, which led police to issue the warrant on charges of felony theft, police sources said.
When investigators captured Ali, he was heading toward a white Pontiac that he recently rented.
Homicide investigators said last night that Ali - who had not yet been officially charged with murder - confessed after a lengthy interrogation.
He hadn't yet told them where he stashed the murder weapon, they said.
Earlier in the evening, sources noted that the alleged killer had served federal prison time outside the area for committing bank robberies.
Investigators are working closely with law enforcement officials from other jurisdictions to piece together the man's background.
Earlier in the day, while detectives continued their around-the-clock efforts to solve the case, citizens sickened by the city's rampant violence expressed their outrage and sympathy through a shrine, donations and crime-solving tips.
Flowers, candles and handwritten notes crowded the automated teller machine where Alullo, 54, and Widmaier, 65, were killed Thursday morning.
The pair were ambushed shortly after 8 a.m. as they made a routine stop at the Wachovia Bank at Bustleton and Bleigh avenues.
The gunman had lain in wait in a parking lot nearby, shooting the guards repeatedly and firing at a third, who escaped with minor arm cuts.
The incident - which police brass called an "assassination" - crippled the region.
Police ordered schools locked down and businesses and roads closed for hours while they hunted for the killer.
The victims weren't wearing bullet-proof vests.
Although Loomis, the international cash-security company that employed Alullo and Widmaier, encourages its guards to wear them, the company does not require it or provide the vests.
Yesterday, a retired police officer from Montgomeryville offered to donate several bullet-proof vests he has to Loomis.
Loomis spokesman Mark Clark said company officials will reevaluate their security policies.
"When something like this happens, we evaluate the incident to see what we can learn, and if we learn anything to motivate a change, certainly, we would make a change," Clark said.
The company also offered grief-counseling to employees, Clark added. Family members said Widmaer was just a month away from reti ing from Loomis.
He retired from the police force in 1989 and quickly went to work at Loomis.
Alullo retired in 2000 and joined Widmaier in the armored-truck business.
FOP president Bob Eddis complained that both men were forced to work dangerous jobs after their police careers because of the poor benefits offered to retired cops.
Eddis said retired cops have health insurance for only five years, and their pension is roughly 40 percent of their old pay.
"They survived their whole careers and had to go back out there and take these jobs," Eddis said.
"Now their families are left behind." *
Nothing like using the tragic death of two men to score cheap political points, especially before their bodies are even in the ground.
Yeah, I saw that too.
Nothing cheap about what he said.
Isn’t it up to unions like the FOP to make sure that officers are compensated after retirement?
Don’t point fingers, Mr Eddis, because when you point one, three are pointing back.
Although Loomis, the international cash-security company that employed Alullo and Widmaier, encourages its guards to wear them, the company does not require it or provide the vests.
Anyone think this isn't gonna change?
Poor benefits? In NJ it’s about 80% of the cop’s last year of salary. Plus full health. You can live on that, or you can take on another career before you’re fifty and have two incomes.
Don’t know if it’s not so generous in Pennsylvania - and I’m not disparaging the murdered men in any way. But cheap political points is right.
Mrs VS
This happened in my town. Horrible.
The killer is probably black muslim...you see a lot of that around here. I see them out and about, the woman dressed all in black with only her eyes showing, following ten long paces behind the “man,” children looking about as miserable as a child can look.
Heaven forbid they sentence him to death or we will have another “Mumia” on our hands I suppose.
How sad those 2 guys worked as cops in that crappy city only to face death after “retiring.”
These events don’t happen too often, thankfully. But when it does happen it always seems to me that 2 guys are not enough in a potentially dangerous situation like that. Maybe these security companies should send at least 4, and arm them better.
FOP president Bob Eddis complained that both men were forced to work dangerous jobs after their police careers because of the poor benefits offered to retired cops....Oh, Gees, not this shiite again.
“FOP president Bob Eddis complained that both men were forced to work dangerous jobs after their police careers because of the poor benefits offered to retired cops....Oh, Gees, not this shiite again.”
I’m just guessing driving an armoured truck doesn’t compare walking a beat in Philly. I would think the opposite is true, wanting to get away from the day to day stress.
This happened in my town
This happened in my neighborhood. I live just a few minutes away and the cops that were killed worked in the district I live in. I’ve lived in this part of the city most of my life and I’ve seen it go from a nice area to slowly turning into a sewer.
BUMP!
Mustafa Ali......the lib/dems will get behind him like they did for mummia abu jamal...it is one of the rop and of course the republicans will be blamed by the msm!!!
I hear you.
Philly is not in good shape right now...and that’s putting it very midly. Violent crime is out of control. It should be mandatory that armored truck drivers wear bullet-proof vests.
I’m starting to think it should be mandatory for ALL citizens to wear bullet-proof vests.
NE Philly ain’t what it used to be, not by a long shot. Used to be an area of family neighborhood and well-kept homes and community pride. It also used to be safe. I hate what’s happening to Philly and the surrounding neighborhoods...
The fact that he was a “fugitive who previously served federal prison time for bank robberies” and let back out to society bothers me.
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