Philadelphia resident Keith Gibson has been found guilty of murder and robbery after a Delaware jury deliberated for nearly six hours over the span of two days. The jury concluded that Gibson was responsible for the deaths of Leslie Ruiz-Basilio, a 28-year-old cellphone store clerk in Elsmere, and Ronald Wright, a 42-year-old drug dealer in Wilmington, Delaware. Gibson now faces mandatory life sentences for the murder convictions, although a sentencing date has yet to be determined by the judge.

Gibson came under suspicion in June 2021 when Delaware authorities linked him to at least six killings, including the fatal shooting of a Dunkin' Donuts manager. In addition to the Delaware charges, Gibson also faces murder charges in Pennsylvania, where the Philadelphia district attorney has approved charges against him for the murders of his mother, the Dunkin' Donuts manager, and two men who were found shot in the head at a store in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood. However, these additional charges are still pending prosecution in Delaware.

During the trial, prosecutors presented strong evidence linking Gibson to the crimes. Ballistics evidence from the shootings of Ruiz-Basilio and Belal Almansoori, a store clerk in Wilmington, was connected to a revolver that was found when Gibson was arrested. Additionally, clothing and other evidence, including a bicycle belonging to Gibson that was discovered near the cellphone store, pointed to him as the gunman in each instance. Prosecutors also highlighted that a friend of Gibson identified him as the person seen in surveillance footage from the shooting scenes.

The surveillance footage from the Metro PCS store in Elsmere on May 15, 2021, captured the harrowing moment when Ruiz-Basilio was confronted by the gunman. The video showed the gunman leading her to the back of the store, where he shot her point-blank in the head while her arms were raised. He then fled the scene with stolen cash and cellphones in Ruiz-Basilio's SUV, which was later recovered near Gibson's home in Philadelphia.

Another chilling incident occurred on June 6, 2021, when Almansoori was shot in his store. The video footage showed Almansoori pretending to be dead on the floor after narrowly avoiding the gunman's first shot. The assailant proceeded to steal several items before shooting the teenager in the head. As he was leaving, the gunman turned back and shot Almansoori again. Miraculously, Almansoori survived the attack and testified during Gibson's trial.

The murder of Wright took place one day prior to Almansoori's shooting at Wright's known "drug house" in Wilmington. Prosecutors revealed that Gibson was later found in possession of a shoulder bag that belonged to Wright and was used to store drugs. Earlier on the same day as Wright's murder, Gibson confronted Christine Lugo, a 40-year-old Dunkin' Donuts manager, as she was opening the shop in north Philadelphia. Gibson forced Lugo inside, stole around $300, and fatally shot her in the head. This murder was also captured on surveillance video.

Gibson's violent spree appears to have occurred shortly after his release from a Delaware prison in December 2020, where he had served approximately 13 years for manslaughter and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Following the cellphone store robbery, authorities managed to apprehend an individual who had one of the stolen phones. Data stored on the device led them to Gibson's phone number, ultimately leading to his arrest on June 8, 2021, after a robbery at a Wilmington Rite Aid store. During the arrest, Gibson was found wearing body armor and carrying unique ammunition that matched the bullet fragments found at the two murder scenes. Furthermore, the revolver believed to have been used in the shootings was discovered hidden near the spot where Gibson was apprehended.

Gibson's conviction brings some justice to the families of the victims, although their pain and loss will never fully heal. The successful prosecution relied on a combination of video surveillance footage, ballistics evidence, and other compelling factors that linked Gibson to the crimes. Despite the defense's attempts to discredit the prosecution's case by highlighting the lack of DNA or fingerprint evidence, the overwhelming evidence presented by the prosecution ultimately swayed the jury's decision.

This news item is based on information from the Associated Press.