On the night of July 16, 2016, Philadelphia Police officers responded to reports of screaming in the Kensington neighborhood and discovered Rickie Jolene Bowen Morgan, a 35-year-old White female, lying naked and covered in blood on the 2400 block of Jasper Street. She had suffered multiple stab wounds to her neck and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigations revealed that Rickie had been lured to a back lot alley under false pretenses, where she was brutally attacked.
The assailant struck her in the head with a brick and stabbed her eight times, severing her carotid artery and jugular vein. Despite her severe injuries, Rickie managed to escape the lot, running naked from the northwest corner of Cumberland Street and Letterly Street, before collapsing from blood loss at 2468 Jasper Street.
Rickie was a mother of two who had been working as a street-based prostitute and was struggling with addiction. Her family and friends described her as a loving person with a good heart, who loved to help people.
In the months following Rickie's murder, the Kensington neighborhood experienced a series of violent assaults on women, particularly those involved in prostitution. These attacks heightened fears of a serial predator targeting vulnerable women in the area.
On December 19, 2016, Byron Shamor Allen Jr., a 37-year-old male from Philadelphia, was arrested in connection with the murder of Natasha Gibson in Yeadon, Delaware County. Allen was also linked to multiple assaults on women in the Kensington area during the same period. Investigators identified him as a person of interest in Rickie Morgan's murder, citing similarities in the modus operandi and the pattern of attacks.
Despite these connections, it wasn't until November 9, 2022, that a suspect was formally arrested and charged with Rickie Morgan's murder. The suspect, already incarcerated for other offenses, was charged with murder and related offenses. The case outcome is pending trial.
Rickie's mother, Carol Smail, expressed a mix of relief and continued grief upon learning of the arrest, emphasizing the enduring pain of losing her daughter and the importance of seeking justice.
The Kensington community, along with Rickie's family and friends, continues to remember her and advocate for justice, highlighting the broader issues of violence against women and the vulnerabilities faced by those involved in street-based sex work.
