Heather Rainey, 47, a mother and U.S. Army veteran, was fatally shot in North Philadelphia on June 22, 2024. Philadelphia Housing Authority officers found her with a gunshot wound to the chest about 10:39 p.m. on the 700 block of West Poplar Street. She was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and pronounced dead shortly before 11 p.m.

At the scene Rainey’s 2017 Dodge Durango was found with the engine running, a smashed window and personal items strewn inside; a hammer was placed on top of the vehicle. Investigators treated those elements as consistent with a carjacking. After a six-month investigation, authorities identified 21-year-old Tysean Forsythe as a suspect. Forsythe was located during a stolen-vehicle inquiry on December 11, 2024, and arrested; he has been charged with murder, conspiracy, carjacking, robbery and violations of the Uniform Firearms Act and is being held without bail with a court date set for December 30, 2024.

Family members said Rainey was a dedicated mother and had a beautiful soul who tried to find the best in bad situations. Does anyone who knew Heather or saw activity around West Poplar Street that night have information to share?