Family Touched By Fame, Touched By Tragedy

Bryan and Kathryn Harvey were stars of the Southside Richmond community. After gaining national success as a musician years ago, Bryan now played locally with his band NrG Krysys. Kathryn owned a unique gift shop called World of Mirth. Everyone loved the creative couple, and friends say they brought life and energy to the whole neighborhood. But as friends arrived at their home for a party on New Year's Day, 2006, they made a discovery that has shocked the entire community to the core.

Authorities say they received a call reporting a fire at the Harvey home at 1:41 p.m. on New Year's Day. When firemen arrived, they found Bryan, Kathryn and their two young daughters Stella and Ruby, all dead in the basement. Police say all four were bound and had fatal knife wounds.

Police believe that the four were murdered sometime between 10:00 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. The Harveys were hosting a chili cookout that afternoon and friends began to arrive at 2:00 p.m. Richmond cops are talking to friends, family and acquaintances for information and are leaving all possiblities open. They say more than one person might even be responsible for the family's brutal murder.

A Popular Family

The night before, Bryan had played a New Year's Eve gig at the DoubleTree Hotel with NrG Krysys. With a list of bands to his credit, he had gained national recognition as the lead singer and guitarist of the band House of Freaks during the late 1980s and early 1990s. MTV's show "120 Minutes" featured House of Freaks and the band was also in heavy rotation on college radio stations.

In 1995 Bryan's followup band Gutterball broke up and he returned to his hometown Richmond to start a family.

For more than 10 years, Kathryn's store had gained her recognition in Richmond as being a creative and artistic force in the community. A native of Virginia Beach, Va., she was a high school homecoming queen.  Actor Steven Culp, who played Rex Van De Kamp on ABC's "Desperate Housewives," is Kathryn's half-brother.

Whatever motive may exist for the horrific crimes, friends and family are especially saddened by the senseless murders of the Harvey children, 9-year-old Stella and 4-year-old Ruby.

Wanted For:

• Auto Theft, 1 Count , Richmond , VA ; Jan 01, 2006
• Conspiracy to Commit Murder, 4 Counts , Richmond , VA ; Jan 01, 2006

(Information valid as of January 9, 2006)

Associated Persons:

Suspected Harvey Family Killer #2
Ray Joseph Dandridge is allegedly also responsible for the quadruple murders.
Fugitive
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AMW Radio:

• »January 09 2006

Two Arrests Made In Quadruple Murder

Police in Richmond, Va. have arrested two men they believe are responsible for the new Year's Day murders of a family of four. According to police, Ricky Javon Gray and Ray Joseph Dandridge, both 28, were located in Philadelphia, Pa. in a white Cadillac stolen from the victims' home. Police believe Gray and Dandridge bound and stabbed each member of the Harvey family before fleeing in the car on January 1, 2006.

Police originally found the bodies of Bryan and Kathryn Harvey, and their two young daugthers Stella and Ruby, dead in their basement. They were bound with tape, their throats had been slashed, and their house was on fire.

At first, police had little on which to base their investigation. Then, another violent killing spree less than a week later provided cops with the break they needed to identify the alleged killers.

Crimes Linked, Men Charged

On Friday, January 6, 2006, police found 55-year-old Percyell Tucker, 47-year-old Mary Baskerville, and her 21-year-old daughter, Ashley Baskerville, dead and bound in the basement of their Richmond home -- similar to how the Harvey family was found. Their house had been ransacked, and police say several items were missing.

During their crime scene investigation, police say they found evidence linking Gray and Dandridge to the New Year's Day slayings. According to police, the two men are suspected of committing all seven murders -- but have only been charged with one count each of auto theft, and four counts each of conspiracy to commit murder for the Harvey family killings.