Zakkee S. Alhakim, 34, of Philadelphia, and Julie Jean, 35, of the 7600 block of Washington Lane, Elkins Park, took part in a pretrial hearing for their alleged connections to the murder of Rachel King in April 2023.

Alhakim faces charges of first- and third-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, the Pottstown Mercury said. Jean faces homicide charges as well.

Both actors will face life imprisonment if convicted.

King was shot multiple times in her car outside of the Dunkin’ Donuts in the Melrose Shopping Center in Cheltenham Township. King’s son was seated in the rear of the vehicle and was not injured during the attack.

County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele has characterized Alhakim’s role as “murder-for-hire”. Detectives were able to recover a handgun believed to have been used in a homicide in Philadelphia four days prior to King’s murder.

“The same gun was used in each of these killings. The same car was used or was in the vicinity of each of these killings. It becomes essential to our case,” Steele said.

The official trail is scheduled for March, the Mercury said.

For our previous coverage of the incident, you can click here.

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Photos courtesy of the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office