Williams' Sister Sitting With Drug dealer

Ananova ^ | 9-16-2003

[blam]

Williams' sister was sitting with drug dealer

Police investigating the murder of Venus and Serena Williams' older sister believe a gang feud or a drug dispute might have led to the death of the 31-year-old.

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 investigators said.

Hammer has ties to a street gang although he is not a member, police said. He also has been convicted on counts of cheque forgery and commercial burglary.

Yetunde Price, 31, was shot in the chest as she sat with a convicted drugs dealer in a 4X4 vehicle in the violent LA suburb of Compton shortly after midnight on Sunday. The motive and whether she knew her assailant were unclear.

Investigators said Price and a man in the 4X4 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 Lieutenant Daniel Rosenberg, a homicide detective.

After the shooting Rolland Wormley, the man in the 4X4, drove Price to his relative's house in neighbouring Long Beach and called police. 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.

Price was divorced and had three children, aged five, nine and 11. She lived in Corona, 40 miles from Compton.

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,"

© Associated Press

Story filed: 13:00 Tuesday 16th September 2003

[blam]

Anybody suprised?

[50sDad]

The news made a big deal of how this poor woman wouldn't take any money from her rich sisters. I propose she should have, and used it to MOVE.

[r9etb]

Somewhat surprised that Ms. Price was consorting with drug dealers, even if it is her old stomping grounds. But not at all surprised that the shooting is apparently gang- and drug-related.

[Puppage]

how this poor woman wouldn't take any money from her rich sisters

BULL. I don't believe THAT for one second.

[MizSterious]

Re-read the article: she didn't live in the area where she was killed. She was apparently visiting that area. From the article:

She lived in Corona, 40 miles from Compton.

[mlbford2]

Yeah, I'm very surprised. Very well to do family. Usually at that point your drugs are delivered to you.

[hotsheet]

Actually she worked as Venus and Serenas assistant for a time..

[facedown]

"At this point we just don't know if this is gang or narcotics,"...

Pretty much synonymous.

[netmilsmom]

My adopted sister, visits her original neighborhood (THE hood) on the east side of Cleveland. She has been know to visit people who did or currently sell drugs. To her they are just people. She has never been a user, NEVER. Sometimes people are just in the wrong place at the wrong time, with the wrong people.

[TRY ONE]

And after the street gang murder, police reported the results: Love-15, Final Set

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Probably extremely far-fetched but what would FR be without conspiracy theories?

There is a nexus between big-time sports figures and underworld figures in that many times the former are extorted by the latter particularly if they originally came from the hood. For example the Russian hockey players are frequently extorted by the Russian mob and threats are often made against family members as an inducement to pay up.

Admittedly, this case seems more like a case of wrong place, wrong time, but another plausible explanation *could* be this was a message to the family to be generous with their not inconsiderable riches.

[.38sw]

Oh. A gang-and drug-related shooting. And last night, on Greta VanSustern's show, Jeffry Feiger, ranting in connection with this case, was absolutely foaming at the mouth about guns and how easily available they are. Why, if guns weren't so available, the murder rate in the US just wouldn't be as high as it is now. No, Jeffy. The gangs and drug dealers would still have guns. Just look at how easily availabale "illegal" drugs are. It's just the law-abiding people that wouldn't have guns.

Mrs. Price probably shouldn't have been sitting in a vehicle with a convicted drug dealer in Compton. That would have kept her safer than a ban on guns would have.

[CheneyChick]

Price was divorced and had three children, aged five, nine and 11. She lived in Corona, 40 miles from Compton.

These kids aren't old enough to be home alone. Who was watching the kids? Why was she 40 miles from home at that hour of the night sitting in a car with a convicted drug dealer in that neighborhood? I understand having friends and stuff, but seems like she was going out of the way to put herself in a bad situation - being there "after visiting hours" and such.

[LisaAnne]

Okay, let me get this straight. They were sitting in a SUV in Compton, she is shot, he drives her to a house in Long Beach and call the police?
What? He didn't have a cell phone, he didn't know where the nearest Emergency Room was?

[50sDad]

I still wouldn't walk willingly into a glass furnace, even "just to visit." (Nor sit in a car with a drug dealer there, as well.)

[MizSterious]

Agree with both of you! Just pointing out that she didn't live there. However, it sounds to me like perhaps she kept some bad company--we know she did that night, at least. As to the kids--none of the news reports said, but perhaps she had a babysitter.

[CheneyChick]

Yeah, the part about not calling right away is weird. Nearly EVERYONE has a cell phone these days - and they usually are blabbing away on it while in their car. Or, I'm sure they drove by several phone booths where 911 works really well.

[martin_fierro]

Aaron Michael Hammer, 24, was held without bail

Please, Hammer, don't hurt 'em.

[1Old Pro]

Police investigating the murder of Venus and Serena Williams' older sister believe a gang feud or a drug dispute might have led to the death of the 31-year-old.

What a surprise. As the old saying goes, you can take the person out of the old neighbor hood but you can't take the neighborhood out of the person. How many examples do we need, Mike Tyson comes to mind. So many ffotball and basketball players come to mind........

[mass55th]

"To her they are just people."

People who could get her killed. You said it yourself: "people are just in the wrong place at the wrong time, with the wrong people."

Unfortunately, it happens alot.