Two West Palm Beach men have been arrested in connection to a 2019 cold case, the death of Kevin Malcolm Ulysse, the Riviera Beach Police Department said.
Dwayne King and Robert Rashad Pettway both are charged with first-degree murder and attempted armed robbery. Pettway also faces a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Law enforcement took Pettaway into custody on Sept. 24 and King on Sept. 25. Judges denied bail for both of them and appointed the Palm Beach County Public Defender's Office to represent them. As a policy, it does comment on open cases.
Riviera Beach police said their investigation received help from North Palm Beach police, which gave the case a fresh look and helped lead to arrests nearly seven years after the shooting.
“This case demonstrates the power of partnership and persistence,” Riviera Beach Police Chief Michael A. Coleman said in a prepared statement.
Robbery attempt became fatal shooting after men argued in street
On Oct. 16, 2019, officers found Ulysse lying in the roadway along the 700 block of West Seventh Street, near West Riviera Elementary School. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. Officers said he had cash and a bag of marijuana in his pockets, according to Pettway's arrest report.
Police said they used surveillance-camera footage, cell phone records, DNA evidence, eyewitness testimony and King’s own admissions in linking him and Pettaway to Ulysse’s death.
They concluded that Ulysse sold King marijuana and that Pettway wanted to rob him, according to Pettway’s arrest report. He had King lure Ulysse to his home for a purchase and Pettway confronted Ulysse as he tried to walk away at about 4:45 p.m.
The two men argued and Pettway shot Ulysse, the arrest report said. King followed Pettway to the scene in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo and drove him away from the area after the shooting.
In King's original interview with police, he made no mention of Pettway entering his vehicle, but surveillance-camera video contradicted his story.
He admitted lying to the police and changed his story to match, saying he panicked and drove away when Pettway was chasing his car. Pettway eventually caught up and King said he wanted a ride, so he allowed him to get into the passenger seat.
After video evidence showed Pettway had exited the Monte Carlo prior to the shooting, King changed his story again, according to the arrest report, making him an accessory in the shooting.
Police say independent review of evidence led to new leads in murder
Alongside video evidence, the Riviera Beach CSI Unit processed the crime scene alongside the Monte Carlo and gathered DNA and fingerprints which placed Pettway inside the vehicle.
"Riviera Beach detectives conducted an extensive investigation, including interviews with witnesses and persons of interest, examination of physical evidence, and the pursuit of available investigative leads," Riviera Beach spokesperson Wadney Julien wrote in a news release.
"Despite extensive investigative efforts, no arrests were made at the time, and the case remained unresolved."
Last year, the department asked North Palm Beach police for an independent review of the case to put a fresh set of eyes on the incident. North Palm's cold case team found additional leads which lead to the identification of both King and Pettway.
“Revisiting cold cases with fresh eyes and shared resources can bring long-awaited closure to families,” added Chief Robert Coliskey of the North Palm Beach Police Department.
Arianna Otero covers breaking news for The Palm Beach Post. Contact her via email at AOtero@pbpost.com and follow her on X: @ari_v_otero.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Two face murder charges in 2018 Riviera cold case fatal shooting
