Delaware State Police have arrested a third suspect in a homicide investigation that began in July in the Claymont area, according to Public Information Officer, Senior Corporal Leonard DeMalto.
DeMalto said on July 23, 2022, Delaware State Police responded to the Claymont Auto Repair located at 3506 Philadelphia Pike regarding a serious assault. The investigation was ruled a homicide when the victim, identified as Kevin Goodson, 56, of Claymont, was later found deceased on the property of Citisteel USA.
Through investigative means, detectives from the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit identified three suspects involved in this incident. On July 28, 2022, Justin Locke, 20, of Claymont, DE, was taken into custody and charged with Assault First Degree, Kidnapping First Degree, and Conspiracy Second Degree. Locke was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court # 2 and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on $1,000,000 cash bond. On July 28, 2022, Jeffrey Labarge, 22, of Claymont, DE, was taken into custody and charged with Assault First Degree, Kidnapping First Degree, and Conspiracy Second Degree. Labarge was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court # 11 and committed to James T. Vaughn Correctional Center on $1,000,000 cash bond.
On August 3, 2022, Locke was charged with Murder First Degree. He was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court # 2 and was issued an additional $1,000,000 cash bond on this charge. He remains in the custody of the Department of Corrections.
On August 3, 2022, Labarge was charged with Murder First Degree. He was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court # 2 and was issued an additional $1,000,000 cash bond on this charge. He remains in the custody of the Department of Corrections.
On August 3, 2022, the third suspect, identified as Tyler Simpson, 22, of Wilmington, DE, was apprehended in Chester, Pennsylvania. He is awaiting extradition to Delaware on charges of Murder First Degree, Assault First Degree, Kidnapping First Degree, and Conspiracy Second Degree.
Orginal Story
Delaware State Police have arrested a third suspect in a homicide investigation that began in July in the Claymont area, according to Public Information Officer, Senior Corporal Leonard DeMalto.
Delaware State Police have arrested Justin Locke, 20, and Jeffrey Labarge, 22, both of Claymont, DE for Assault 1st Degree after an incident last weekend, according to Public Information Officer, Senior Corporal Jason Hatchell.
Hatchell said on Saturday, July 23, 2022, at approximately 11:41 pm, the Delaware State Police Troop 2 Criminal Investigative Unit began investigating a felony level assault at the Claymont Auto Repair located in the 3500 block of Philadelphia Pike in Claymont.
Due to the suspicious circumstances of the initial investigation, the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit began to assist with the investigation. During this joint investigation, it was determined that three subjects attacked a 56-year-old Claymont man in the area of Claymont Auto Repair as the victim was walking south along the sidewalk, according to Hatchell.
Hatchell said After the assault, the three assailants left the victim lying motionless on the ground of the parking lot, where the victim remained for over 25 minutes. A vehicle then pulled into the same parking lot, and subjects were observed loading the victim into the rear of an SUV. A passing motorist witnessed the men loading the victim into the SUV and called 911 to report the suspicious activity.
Three persons of interest, Justin Locke, Jeffrey Labarge, and Tyler Simpson, and the suspect vehicle were identified through various investigative leads but there was no immediate report of an assault victim or missing person, according to Hatchell.
As investigators continued to work the investigation, further information was obtained that assisted law enforcement in identifying potential areas to search in the Claymont area for the unidentified assault victim. Through these steps, the body of a deceased white male was located on the property of Citisteel USA, located north of the assault location. Following an autopsy of the victim, his manner of death was ruled a homicide. Identification of the victim is not being released at this time.
During the week of July 25th, the Delaware State Police apprehended two of the three identified suspects. On July 28, 2022, Justin Locke, was arrested on charges of Assault 1st Degree, Kidnapping First Degree, and Conspiracy 2nd Degree, arraigned in the Justice of the Peace Court #2 and committed to Delaware Corrections on a $1,000,000 cash bond. On Thursday July 28, 2022, Jeffrey Labarge was apprehended by Delaware State Police and arrested on charges of Assault 1st Degree, Kidnapping First Degree, and Conspiracy 2nd Degree, arraigned in the Justice of the Peace Court #11, and committed to Delaware Corrections on a $1,000,000 cash bond.
Locke and Labarge, who are currently in the custody of the Department of Corrections, will be charged with Murder 1st Degree. Arraignment information will be forthcoming.
The third suspect, Tyler Simpson, 22, of Wilmington, DE is still outstanding on charges of Murder 1st Degree, Assault 1st Degree, Kidnapping First Degree, and Conspiracy 2nd Degree.