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Authorities: Fairmount Park Double Murder 'Crime Of Passion'

By Kim Glovas, Rahel Solomon

PHILADELHIA (CBS) - Philadelphia homicide detectives are asking for the public's help in finding the killer of two people who were found dead last Friday in Fairmount Park.

Homicide Captain James Clark says 25-year-old Shakoor Arline and 32-year-old Lisa Smith were having a sexual encounter in the back of an SUV, when someone opened the back seat door and fired, at close range, multiple times. Police said Arline was naked at the time of the shooting and Smith was partially naked.

"It appears very much to be a crime of passion," Clark said. "You've got nine shots fired, all of them head shots to both of the victims, so it appears to be very much a crime of passion. Both were involved with other people, so obviously that's where our investigation is looking at right now."

Police say Arline and Smith had been romantically involved on-and-off for years and had met at a previous job. 

"They had outside relationships so obviously that's where our investigation is gonna start because somebody knew that they were in the park at that time and obviously had issue with that," said Clark.

 

 

Clark says preliminary reports indicate the two were murdered between midnight Thursday and 5 a.m. Friday. The bodies weren't found until nearly 3 p.m. that day.

Police say some fingerprints were lifted from inside and outside the car. He says police have spoken to one woman who knew one of the victims. They are hoping to speak to a man who knew the other victim as well, but police say so far, there are no suspects.

Arline lived with his family on the 2800 block of West Girard Avenue. Neighbors tell Eyewitness News he loved to fix cars and was known as a hard worker.

"It really is a travesty," said neighbor Henry Murray, "but I just hope and pray to God justice will be served and I think it will be in this case because he's a good guy."

Anyone with information on the murders is urged to call the homicide division at 215-686-3334.

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