Murphy, a longtime Alexandria resident, became a suspect June 23-- nine weeks after the slaying and just as the trail seemed to go cold. Police found genetic material in the Yellow Cab that [Kevin Shifflett]'s assailant used as a getaway car. When the evidence was checked against a DNA data bank of convicted felons in Virginia, Murphy's name emerged. They also found Kevin's blood in the back seat of the cab.

Murphy's family, speaking publicly for the first time, said in a recent interview that Murphy is not racist. Their description of Murphy provides a sharp contrast to the court record: On the one hand is a man who lovingly wrote from prison in 1994 to his daughter about spending some fun "father and daughter" time for her fifth birthday. And on the other is someone who was convicted of beating a stranger with a hammer and is now charged in Kevin's death.

Leonard Riddle was checking under the hood of his Honda when he heard a noise. He glanced over his shoulder and briefly caught Murphy's gaze. "What the [expletive] are you looking at, Whitey?" Riddle said Murphy asked. Then, Riddle said, Murphy started hitting him on the back of the head. Riddle stabbed at Murphy's face with his fingers. Murphy finally dropped the hammer, stared at Riddle and then just walked away.