53°
Rafiq Thompson, 38, surrendered on April 13 in the April 8 death of Tamara Cornelius — who was 14 weeks pregnant — in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said.
Thompson texted Cornelius 93 times and called her 21 times between April 4 and April 6, which Cornelius did not answer, authorities said.
On Friday, April 8 at 5:55 p.m., Thompson texts Cornelius to invite her out to dinner, and Cornelius responded with several phone calls between them, the DA said.
The two, who previously were in a relationship, were scene on surveillance meeting outside of the Cheesecake Factory, then walking toward the restaurant’s entrance at the King of Prussia Mall.
The waiter who served the former couple told detectives that the two appeared to be having a contentious conversation, and when he brought the food to the table, Thompson had left.
Mall surveillance shows Thompson leaving the mall vestibule area alone at 9:43 p.m. Cornelius asked the waiter to box the food for take-out, paid the bill, then left the restaurant by herself, with mall video showing her exiting the restaurant at 10:15 p.m. and walking toward the parking garage.
Thompson instead went and got himself McDonald's, before following Cornelius out of the mall and to the Exxon station, authorities said.
While Cornelius was pumping gas, Thompson stepped out of his car, spoke to Cornelius and then shot her. He continued to shoot her as she tried to free herself.
Cornelius, who was obviously struck, tried to get away through the parking lot as she stumbles and falls several times. The video shows Thompson following directly behind her continuing to shoot. Then as Cornelius collapses onto the ground, Thompson stands over her for a brief second before walking back to his vehicle and driving off, the DA said.
Cornelius was found lying in the Gulph Road gas station parking lot with gunshot wounds around 10:20 p.m. She was transported to Paoli Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 11:09 p.m.
On Monday morning, April 11, a worker applying fertilizer to a lawn at Executive Terrace on S. Gulph Road, saw a black semi-automatic handgun lying in a flower bed, as well as a magazine lying a few feet away.
The gun had a bullet in the chamber, which he removed. The worker turned the firearm into police, and a ballistic examination determined the firearm was used by Thompson in the murder. Thompson’s prior criminal convictions make him a Person Not to Possess a Firearm. Detectives are investigating how the defendant illegally obtained the firearm used in the murder.
Thompson, an ex-con who was on parole at the time of Cornelius' death, will be arraigned today on a new charge of Murder of an Unborn Child.
Thompson was being held in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility without bail.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Cherry Hill and receive free news updates.
