Police in Delaware County say they've developed new leads and have a new person of interest after talking with -- and clearing -- the boyfriend of Natasha Gibson who was found dead on the front porch steps of a Yeadon home Thursday morning. Gibson's throat had been slashed.
Investigators released new surveillance video Friday morning of the man they've identified as a new person of interest. The video shows him walking into a convenience store early Thursday morning to buy a can of beer.[[394633051,C]]
At the murder scene along Baily Road near Orchard Avenue, investigators followed a blood trail for more nearly two miles into Upper Darby and ultimately Southwest Philadelphia. It was there, at 61st and Baltimore, where they found a bloody steak knife in a storm drain. The victim's purse was found a block away, and in that same area, Yeadon Police Chief Donald Molineux said Thursday that it was Gibson's boyfriend who was seen on surveillance video with an injured, bleeding arm.
Molineux said Gibson, 32, had been trying to break free of her relationship with 35-year-old Mark Epps, who Chief Molineux described as a man with a violent history who'd threatened Gibson.
Investigators say they found Epps late Thursday night and "as a result of a lengthy interview and investigation, investigators have determined that Mark Epps is no longer of a person of interest in this crime."
Epps mother, Lisa Epps was adamant Thursday when she told NBC10's Deanna Durante there was no way her son was involved.
"No! No! No! He has not seen that girl for 8 or 9 months," Lisa Epps said. "No, he had nothing to do with this."
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Police released surveillance video Friday of the man they now want to question, without explaining why they wrongly thought Thursday he was Gibson's boyfriend. Investigators say the man in the surveillance video was bleeding when he walked into the store to get that can of beer. The time stamp on the video -- 12:34 a.m. -- was after Gibson's murder, according to police. He came into the store from one direction and left in another.
Yeadon police warn he is considered armed and dangerous. They're asking and anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact Yeadon Police Detective J. Houghton 610-623-1500 or CID Detective Michael Jay, 610-891-4700.
