A Strawberry Mansion woman has been charged with murder in the beating death of a 64-year-old grandmother and her dog.
Markita Blackwell, 34, of the 2500 block of North Natrona Street, called police Feb. 2 and said she had found Melva White, known in their neighborhood as "Ms. Poochie," severely beaten in a rowhouse in the 3200 block of West Arizona Street. White's dog had been beaten to death.
Blackwell, in fact, beat White, who died Monday night, and killed her dog, Pup-Pup, homicide Capt. James Clark said yesterday. She also stole money from the victim, who may have operated a speakeasy, he said.
