The trial of Rachel King, a Philadelphia teacher who was fatally shot in a Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru line with her 11-year-old son in the car in March 2023, began today, March 18, FOX29 reported.

“Zakkee Alhakim did the shooting but Julie Jean orchestrated the whole thing,” Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Caroline Rose Goldstein argued during her opening statement, as reported by The Pottstown Mercury.

The trial is expected to last several days, The Mercury said.

“The act of one is the act of all,” added Goldstein. “Julie Jean intended for a murder to happen and she solicited Zakkee…and aided him in committing this murder.”

District Attorney Kevin R. Steele, who is handling the case with Goldstein, has characterized the incident as a “murder-for-hire.”

“She (Jean) wanted to get back at William because he finally ended it,” Goldstein said. “She made this happen and she’s the only one with motive.”

In January, 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.

Alhakim faces charges of first- and third-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Jean faces homicide charges as well.

Both actors will face life imprisonment if convicted.

For our previous coverage of the incident, you can click here. For FOX29’s video coverage, you can watch below:

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Screengrab: FOX29 | Photos: Montco DA