Former Philadelphia Homicide Detective Facing Criminal Charges in Girlfriend's Murder Case
By Walt Hunter and Ian Bush
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A former Philadelphia homicide detective has been charged with interfering with a murder investigation that involved his girlfriend.
Ronald Dove turned himself in to police this morning following a grand jury investigation.
Only CBS 3 Eyewitness News cameras were there as Dove was led away in handcuffs following processing to be arraigned.
Dove is facing charges of hindering apprehension, obstructing justice, tampering with evidence, falsification, flight to avoid apprehension, and criminal conspiracy.
The investigation centers on allegations that Dove drove his girlfriend, who was being sought by homicide detectives, to upstate New York after picking her up at the crime scene.
Dove's girlfriend has been identified by investigators as Erica Sanchez.
"Dove should have come forward promptly to reveal that he knew the woman and to provide any useful information he might have had. Instead, he jumped into action to do just the opposite, to bury evidence. He actively shielded her, hid her, financed her flight, failed to disclose material evidence and facts to his fellow police officers, and even to arrange her escape from the jurisdiction," Philadelphia district attorney Seth Williams said.
Williams said during a news conference this morning that Dove cleaned Sanchez's car and bought her a new cell phone that Williams said was difficult to trace.
"An experienced investigator used his specialized knowledge to prevent his own colleagues from apprehending a murder suspect," the District Attorney told reporters at a press conference.
"By the time they found her car and searched her apartment, there was no evidence to recover - no murder weapon, no bloody clothes, no physical evidence."
Dove, a 16 year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department, was fired in November 2013.
"Police personnel have the responsibility to uphold the law, protect the rights of all people and to do so with the highest level of integrity, and Ron Dove failed to maintain that oath. He has caused embarrassment to this city, this department, and his family because of his shameful actions. Dove's conduct is simply intolerable and inexcusable," police commissioner Charles Ramsey said.
According to court documents, Dove was arraigned Thursday night.
Sanchez is accused of murdering a man inside a North Philadelphia home. She is awaiting trial in that case. She has also been charged with flight to avoid prosecution, tampering with evidence, and criminal conspiracy.
Dove's attorney, Brian McMonagle, disputes DA Williams' characterization of Dove's actions.
"Ron never believed that he was helping a criminal. He believed he was protecting a victim of domestic violence who acted in self-defense," McMonagle told KYW Newsradio. "I know he deeply regrets that, in his effort to protect her, he brought a lot of heartache to the men and women he served with, and I know that's his greatest regret."
So why did Dove spirit his girlfriend away to upstate New York?
"I know that he wanted her to turn herself in, and I know that he told her several times to turn herself in," McMonagle says. "Sometimes it's easy to send the message, and sometimes the message doesn't get accepted. I know that he wanted her to be treated fairly by the system, and I also know that he was very concerned about protecting her safety. And I know that if he had a lot of time to think back and undo some of the things that were done, he'd do it in a minute. But as this was happening and the way it was happening and the speed it was happening, he placed her above everything else. Obviously, it led to the destruction of a great career and a good man's life."
The District Attorney says the Grand Jury investigation into Dove is continuing, but, he adds, he cannot say when or if he will be charged with interfering in any other homicide investigations.
