The arrests came a day after detectives caught the first suspect in the case. All three have been charged with murder. Police arrested Philadelphia residents Bridget Black and Yvette Stewart last week in connection with the October 31 slaying of Medical Center researcher Vladimir Sled. Black, 25 years old, was arrested at 11:30 p.m. Thursday near her home on the 5100 block of Reno Street. Philadelphia homicide detectives arrested 29-year-old Stewart three hours later on Thursday, on the 4900 block of Reno Street, Homicide Inspector Jerry Kane said. The District Attorney's office charged the pair with murder, robbery and assault. Another suspect in the homicide, Eugene Harrison, was arrested Wednesday afternoon and charged with murder, robbery and assault. Legally, those who participate in a crime resulting in death can be convicted of murder, even if they did not directly cause the death. Under Pennsylvania law, anyone charged with murder must be held without bail. Sled was stabbed to death when he tried to prevent a male suspect from robbing his fiancee, Cecelia Hagerhall, on the 4300 block of Larchwood Avenue at 11:15 p.m. October 31. Stewart and Black gave sworn statements Thursday night regarding their roles in the incident, University Police Chief of Operations Maureen Rush said. And Harrison admitted last week that he approached Sled and Hagerhall in order to rob them, adding that the two female suspects got involved when Sled started to struggle, Rush said. Police said Black inflicted the knife wounds, while Harrison struggled with Hagerhall. The two then fled to the getaway car where Stewart was waiting, polices sources told The Philadelphia Inquirer. Detectives said the three were acquainted casually and had used drugs together in the past, the Inquirer reported. Also Thursday, police recovered a blue 1993 Buick Century with a brown top that the suspects allegedly used to flee the murder scene, Kane said. Detectives found the car on the 800 block of June Street and gathered fingerprints and other evidence from the vehicle, Rush said. She added that the car was stolen from Glenolden, Pa., 15-minutes from Penn's campus. Police identified Harrison last week as the man videotaped by a money access center (MAC) machine at 57th and Vine streets as he tried to use Hagerhall's bank card. Dozens of people told police they recognized him from photographs released last week. The District Attorney's office also charged Harrison with eight counts of theft by computer for allegedly trying to use Hagerhall's bank card several times and making purchases with her credit cards hours after the murder. Assistant District Attorney Dick Carroll will try the suspects, Rush said, calling Carroll "highly regarded and respected as an experienced homicide" prosecutor. The case's first preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 27 in room 306 of the Criminal Justice Center at 13th and Filbert streets. University Investigators Pat Brennan and Bill Danks helped interview Stewart and Black Thursday night at police headquarters, Rush said. She complimented the community for calling police with tips about the case, and University and city detectives for following them up and solving the case so quickly.
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