Police Investigate Links Between the two men and Other Crimes in the Richmond area.  Jan.8, 2006

By Seamus McGraw

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RICHMOND, Va. (Crime Library) After a week of dogged investigation that included scores of interviews with some of their closest friends, business associates and relatives, police on Saturday made two arrests in the brutal New Year's Day slaying of rocker Bryan Harvey, his wife and their two young children.

Ray Joseph Dandridge

The two suspects, Ray Joseph Dandridge, a 28-year-old ex-con who had spent time in prison for robbery and weapons charges, and his uncle, Rick "Cooley" Jovan Gray, were both arrested in Philadelphia where the suspects have relatives. In a surprise announcement Saturday night, Richmond police Chief Rodney Monroe said the two men were also charged in connection with the Friday night slayings of Percyell Tucker, his wife, Mary Baskerville Tucker, and her daughter, Ashley Baskerville in their E. Broad Rock Road home in Richmond. As in the Harvey case, the victims of the Friday night homicide were bound with duct tape. The house had been ransacked. Authorities are reportedly investigating links between the two men and other crimes in the Richmond area.

Rick 'Cooley' Jovan Gray

"The senseless killing of these seven people — two families — was disturbing not only for the families of the victims and the community, but also for the police department," Monroe said. "I can assure you that it will always be our emphasis to aggressively investigate and apprehend those responsible for preying on the citizens of Richmond."

From left: Ashley Baskerville, Percyell Tucker, Mary Baskerville Tucker

At this point, the suspects have been charged only with conspiracy to commit murder in connection with both sets of slayings.

The arrests end six days of investigation into the slaying of Harvey, a beloved local musician, and his wife, who were both well known for their devotion to each other and their children, and for their easygoing temperament and kindness. At first, the authorities said that the killings did not appear to be random, nor did they seem to have been the result of a break-in or robbery. Investigators insisted that they were keeping all options open as they conducted scores of interviews, including with at least one relative, according to friends of the couple, whose former paramour had a strained relationship with Bryan Harvey.

The Harvey family, on vacation at the beach

Despite mounting frustration among friends of the slain family, authorities insisted they were confident that the case would be solved. But the arrests Saturday came as a surprise. Authorities now say that, despite their initial statements to the contrary, the motive for the Harvey slayings appears to be robbery. It was not immediately clear what link, if any, there was between the Harvey family and their accused killers, or whether the slayings were simply the brutal conclusion of a crime of opportunity.

Authorities are continuing to probe both sets of slayings. So far, the two suspects have been charged with one count each of auto theft and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the E. Broad Rock Road case, and four counts each of conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the slaying of the Harvey family.

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