On the morning of April 11, 2023, 35-year-old teacher Rachel King was in her car with her 11-year-old son, waiting in the drive-thru line of a Dunkin' in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania. As they waited, a man approached her vehicle on foot and fired multiple shots into the car, killing her. Her son, who was in the backseat, was physically unharmed but witnessed the entire event. The shooter then fled the scene. The crime was quickly determined to be a targeted attack, not a random act of violence.
The subsequent investigation into the death of the beloved school teacher uncovered a murder-for-hire plot rooted in a soured affair. Authorities identified two individuals responsible for the planning and execution of the crime. Julie Jean, 34, had previously been involved in an affair with King's longtime boyfriend, William Hayes. After Hayes ended the affair to focus on his relationship with King, Jean began to harass both King and Hayes, which led to Hayes obtaining a Protection From Abuse Order against her. Prosecutors stated that Jean, motivated by jealousy, orchestrated the murder.
Jean enlisted the help of 33-year-old Zakkee Steven Alhakim to carry out the killing. Investigators found that Jean and Alhakim had been in communication for months, planning the murder. Evidence showed that Jean had provided Alhakim with a photo of King and a map to her residence. She also purchased the getaway vehicle used by Alhakim. On the day of the murder, Alhakim stalked King from her apartment complex to the Dunkin', where he carried out the fatal shooting.
Both Julie Jean and Zakkee Steven Alhakim were arrested and charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy. During the investigation, it was discovered that the 'ghost gun' used to kill King was also linked to another murder Alhakim had allegedly committed just days earlier in Philadelphia. Following a trial, a jury found both Jean and Alhakim guilty of first-degree murder. They were immediately sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
