Cops detail trail leading to murder arrests

The murders of Cletis Nelson and William Hopkins remained unsolved for more than a year, but detectives in the case said they uncovered the story of the double murder within weeks.

In testimony during the trial of alleged triggerman Rhamir Waples, 20, of Philadelphia, Delaware State Police Detective Fred Chambers said the first leads in the case came together two weeks after the murders during the questioning of admitted getaway driver Shamir Stratton, who provided details of the major players in the case. However, Chambers said, it would take nearly 18 months before all the pieces of the story fell into place.

Chambers said the investigation began by talking to Nelson’s brother, Terrence, who first discovered the bodies, and Ed Cannon, who lived at the Harmons Hill Road house where Nelson and Hopkins died. From Cannon, he said, police learned about a fight that occurred between Hopkins and John Snead, brother of Steven Kellam of Dover. Chasing that lead, Chambers said, led to the discovery of a red Dodge Charger that belonged to Shamir Stratton.

Chambers said an interview with Stratton, 26, of Pennsauken, N.J., two weeks after the murders was the first break in the case. After a lot of prompting, Stratton, a cousin of Kellam’s, revealed his involvement in the crime and identified Rachel Rentoul as the person who had the idea of robbing Nelson and Hopkins of drugs and cash. Stratton also identified Jackie Heverin, who was with Rentoul when the robbery was planned.

Chambers said Stratton also pointed out Waples, Richard Robinson and Damon Bethea from photos taken at Beebe Healthcare, where Stratton had gone for treatment of a head wound he sustained in a fight at a local VFW. Chambers testified that Stratton only knew Waples and Robinson’s first names.

From there, the trail went cold; it wasn’t until nearly a year after the murders, Chambers said, that Delaware State Police were able to get a wiretap on Kellam’s phones. Chambers said for months the wiretaps were not successful, but in the meantime, he said, he had acquired last names and addresses for Waples and Robinson, and he went to homes of their relatives in Philadelphia. Neither Waples nor Robinson were located, but Chambers left his card.

Not long thereafter, Chambers said, Kellam made a call to Snead saying there was a problem, as the cops were looking for Robinson and Waples. On the call, Kellam seems to indicate that Robinson and Waples had contacted him that the police had been around.

“It’s only a matter of time,” Kellam can be heard saying on the audio of the call, which was played for the 18 people, including alternates, serving on the jury, including 11 women and 7 men.

Chambers testified that Waples’ family contacted him and arrangements were made for police to interview them. At this point, Chambers’ testimony was halted until court, presided over by Delaware Superior Court Judge T. Henley Graves, comes back in session Monday, March 6.

On cross-examination, defense attorney Thomas Pedersen questioned the motives and truthfulness of Cannon and Stratton. Pedersen pursued Stratton’s assertion that he tossed guns used in the murders into the woods. Chambers said police searched the area where Stratton said he had thrown the guns, but nothing ever turned up. Chambers added the area was thick, wooded and overgrown with briars. Pedersen also questioned Stratton’s account of how many shots he heard.

In challenging Cannon’s testimony, Pedersen said from the beginning, Cannon had tried to cut a deal in exchange for talking. Chambers said Cannon was never promised anything for his testimony.