The victim's family members gathered outside the Caribe Mini Market in West Kensington Tuesday afternoon to mourn the death of a woman who lived above the market and worked there.
Police identify her as 33-year-old Rosemary Fernandez Rivera. Her sister and brother-in-law say she goes by Reyna Aguirre-Alonso and is 29.
Last night, she was working behind the counter of the corner market in the 3300 block of Mutter Street.
Police say at around 7:40 p.m., a gunman wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and black mask came in and shot her dead.
"It was an execution, the doer walks in, doesn't say a word to her. There were two other employees inside the store. He doesn't say a word to them. He just opens the door that leads behind the cash register where she's at and just starts firing," Philadelphia Police Captain James Clark said.
Alonso's family believes she was murdered in an act of retaliation.
They say she witnessed the November 25th murder of 22-year-old Luis Omar Chevere right across the street from the Caribe Market. They say recently she talked to police about what saw.
"Last week or the week before she was taken to the police station, she didn't want to go. She was taken to the police station to ID two of the murderers. We don't know if that is part of the retaliation because one of the guys is still out there," the brother-in-law said.
Just yesterday, a local paper published a photo of one of the men wanted in connection with Chevere's murder: 22-year-old Jorge "J Rock" Aldea.
Hours later, Alonso was killed.
Police tell Action News they believe Aldea was the triggerman in both murders.
"I can't comment on that or any other crimes dealing with other murders that may or may not have led to her death. I can't comment," Clark said.
Police say they are considering a number of possible motives.
Alonso was known to chase the drug dealers off the corner.
A couple days ago, she was involved in a heated argument with a man outside the store.
Some nearby residents say there have been recent problems with drug dealers that would run into the store.
"I just called my mom, she's upset. I just told her last week she shouldn't be in the store by herself with everything that's going on in the neighborhood," said one neighbor.
"She was tough. She had to speak up to try and keep peace in the store," explained another neighbor.
Police have not found any surveillance video, but they are still looking.
Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says, "It's going to come down to the public helping and getting these violent people off the street. Because they will not stop until they are in jail and in jail for a significant period of time."
