The investigation continues into the murder of Rosemary Fernandez-Rivera, a grocery store clerk who was gunned down in what authorities believe was an act of witness retaliation on Jan. 23.

So far, police have made four arrests, the result of an intense manhunt by the Philadelphia Police Department’s Fugitive Task Force, special agents from the Philadelphia and New York field offices of the FBI and the New York City Police Department. In custody are; Jorge Aldea, 23, the alleged leader who ordered Rivera’s murder, Shawn Poindexter, 17, the alleged hit man, Raymond Soto, 20, who investigators assert was in on the planning, and Eliana Vasquez, 19, who allegedly drove the getaway car.

“Tips from the public were very helpful on this job. I always say that when you have this kind of murder, the police partner with the community,” Sgt. Tim Cooney told the Tribune.

“Yes, this does appear to be a retaliation murder.”

Investigators said Fernandez-Rivera, 33, was murdered on Monday, Jan. 23 at 7:41 p.m. inside Caribe Mini Market at 3300 N. Mutter St. She was found by police behind the counter with multiple gunshots wounds to the body. She was transported to Temple Hospital and succumbed to her injuries.

After an intense manhunt, law enforcement officers arrested Aldea, who was hiding out in Brooklyn along with his girlfriend, Vazquez. She was brought back to Philadelphia for further investigation. Soto also allegedly helped plan the murder, which was supposed to appear to be a robbery. Authorities say Poindexter was the masked man who fatally shot Rivera. Investigators believe she was killed because she witnessed the murder of Louis Chevere, 22, on Nov. 25, 2011, at 176 W. Westmoreland St. Aldea is currently in New York awaiting extradition to Philadelphia. Aldea sports a five-pointed star tattoo beneath his left eye, and there is speculation that it might be a gang affiliation tattoo. The five-pointed star is one of the signs used by the People Nation gang.
“I can’t answer that at this point,” Cooney said. “He hasn’t been extradited back to Philadelphia yet and we haven’t had a chance to question him.”

In an unrelated criminal investigation, law enforcement officials in Philadelphia and Montgomery County have arrested five people in connection with a million-dollar drug ring that was operating on the campus of Drexel University.

Calling it the largest drug bust of its kind in 15 years, District Attorney Seth Williams said on Tuesday that the suspects had been pushing LSD for over a year and were raking in at least $15,000 a week before police were able to break up the operation. Williams said the suspects were selling the drug for $10 to $30 a hit.

The arrests took place in an overnight raid on the 4800 block of Florence Avenue by members of the district attorney’s Dangerous Drug Offender Unit, the DEA, and personnel from the 12th and 18th police districts. Arresting officers confiscated 9,500 hits of LSD worth an estimated street value of $28,000, and $10,000 in cash. Williams said the investigation began with the help of detectives from the Upper Moreland Police Department last month. On Jan. 18, Upper Moreland detectives notified the D.A.’s office in Philadelphia that they had arrested a Drexel University student on marijuana and gun charges and that he was willing to cooperate and provide information on a drug ring operating on the Drexel campus. That student then allowed investigators to record phone calls of his illegal transactions. Those transactions included the sale of drugs to another Drexel student who was working as a supplier to the first student. The second student was subsequently arrested and also decided to cooperate with the investigation.

Based on the investigation, police arrested Raphael Zappala, 33, of 50th Street in Philadelphia, Joshua Dassay, 31, of Florence Avenue and Wesley Crawford, 34, of Haverford Road in Ardmore. All three have been charged with illegal drug offenses, including conspiracy, use of a communication device to facilitate a narcotics transaction and endangering the welfare of a child. The defendants are facing the child endangerment charges because an infant was at the apartment during the time of the raid. Joshua Dassay is also wanted in nine other states for other crimes.

“This is another example of excellent teamwork between the different members of law enforcement in the commonwealth,” Williams said. “There was a huge drug ring operating on Drexel’s campus. It is sad that this was taking place on a campus of higher learning, but I hope that the actions of a few do not tarnish the image of educational excellence that we associate with Drexel University.”

Late Tuesday afternoon, Drexel University released this statement: “Drexel University has a zero tolerance policy for any type of illegal activity and takes immediate disciplinary action, including criminal prosecution. Drexel University Police fully cooperated with the District Attorney’s Dangerous Drug Offender Unit, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and Philadelphia Police, resulting in the arrests of five people connected to an LSD ring operating in University City. Although two Drexel students were involved, the masterminds of the operation arrested today were not affiliated in any way with Drexel and operated out of a house on 48th Street, not on the Drexel campus.”