Suspect named in killing of pregnant woman, baby in Frankford

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Tuesday, September 16, 2014
VIDEO: Suspect named in killing of pregnant woman
The search goes on for a gunman who killed an expecting mother.

FRANKFORD (WPVI) -- A suspect has been named in connection with a shooting that left a pregnant woman and her newborn baby dead.

Police are still looking for 26-year-old Devon Guisherd with a last known address in the 4700 block of N. Penn Street.

They say a stray bullet fired by Guisherd hit 25-year-old Megan Doto just before noon Sunday along the 1500 block of Adams Avenue.

Doto, who was almost eight months pregnant, was pronounced dead at Temple University Hospital.

Police and Temple University Hospital confirmed early Monday that the infant, delivered by emergency C-section after her mother was mortally wounded, died hours later.

Police say Guisherd fired 11 shots down the 1400 block of Adams Street, targeting a white sedan that had circled the block.

The intended target was not hit, police said.

Guisherd has a lengthy arrest record, with charges including attempted murder and aggravated assault. He is now awaiting trial on drug charges.

Police served a warrant on his Penn Street home address Tuesday morning. He was not there.

His father, David Brown, tells Action News his son did not do this shooting.

Brown says, "I'm sorry to hear about Doto and the baby, but my son did not do this. He was in the house with his own two kids. My other son just got killed a week ago, they're looking for somebody to blame and they want to put it on him."

Indeed, another of Brown's sons was murdered gangland style along the 4200 block of Penn Street in recent weeks.

Police say the Guisherd brother now on the lam may have fired wildly thinking the white sedan carried people gunning for him on Sunday morning.

Police link the brothers to the drug world.

As a memorial to Megan Doto grew today, police say residents of this Frankford neighborhood came forward to finger the murder suspect, but were not interested in the $40,000 reward.

Philadelphia Police Captain James Clark explains, "None of the people who came in and identified him as the shooter wanted the reward money. This was just something dealing with a young lady and newborn baby that they just felt in their heart that they wanted to do the right thing."

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Devon Guisherd is asked to contact Philadelphia Police at 215-686-TIPS (8477), text a tip to PPD TIP (773847) or through PhillyPolice.com.