In a tragic turn of events on November 19, 2018, 17-year-old Yaleah Hall was found shot and killed in the basement of a home on Malcolm Street in Southwest Philadelphia. A high school student, Yaleah was discovered alongside her 20-year-old sister, Tiyaniah Hopkins, and two men, 31-year-old William Taylor and 28-year-old Akeem Mattox, who were cousins.
All four victims had been shot in the head in what police described as an 'execution-style' slaying.
The investigation revealed that the horrific incident stemmed from a drug deal that had gone terribly wrong. Taylor and Mattox, who were renovating the home, had discovered a stash of drugs and attempted to sell them. It is believed that Yaleah and her sister were innocent bystanders, simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and not involved in the drug transaction. A family member, concerned after finding the door to the house ajar, alerted the police who then made the grim discovery in the basement. There were no signs of a struggle, and it appeared the victims were led to the basement before they were killed.
The investigation into the quadruple homicide led to the arrests of several suspects. Jahlil Porter, Keith Garner, Robert Long, and Nasir Moss-Robertson were all charged with murder and other related offenses. Authorities believe the men went to the house with the intention of robbing Taylor and Mattox of the drugs.
In the ensuing legal proceedings, Robert Long pleaded guilty to his involvement in the murders in January 2020. Later that year, in August, Jahlil Porter and Keith Garner were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for their roles in the killings. Porter received a sentence of at least 50 years, while Garner was sentenced to a minimum of 40 years. During the sentencing, it was revealed that the defendants had been friends with the male victims, a fact that the judge found particularly disturbing. In a statement during the proceedings, Garner acknowledged that the two sisters were innocent victims who just happened to be at the house.
