PHILADELPHIA – Kidada Savage, 30, of Philadelphia, was sentenced today to life in prison for her role in the October 9, 2004, firebombing that killed six members of a federal witness’s family.  Savage is the sister of Kaboni Savage who ordered the firebombing and who was sentenced to death for 12 counts of murder in aid of racketeering.  Kidada Savage was convicted, on May 13, 2013, of six counts of murder in-aid-of racketeering, all related to the firebombing of Eugene Coleman’s family home.  Kaboni and Kidada Savage were also convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, retaliating against a witness by murder, and of using fire to commit a felony (the Coleman murders). Coleman was a federal witness at the time.  Six people, including four children, were killed in the arson. 

Today’s penalty verdict was announced by United States Attorney Zane David Memeger, Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent-in-Charge Edward J. Hanko of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division.

Kidada Savage acted as a go-between for her brother, who was in federal custody awaiting a drug trial, and Lamont Lewis, who committed the firebombing.  Lewis pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.  Robert Merritt and Steven Northington were also convicted in the case. Northington was sentenced to life; Merritt is awaiting sentencing.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, and the Maple Shade, New Jersey Police Department.  The United States Bureau of Prisons, the United States Marshals Service, and HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) also assisted in the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David E. Troyer and John M. Gallagher and Trial Attorney Steve Mellin, of the Criminal Division’s Capital Case Unit at the U.S. Department of Justice.         

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