The 31-year-old man accused of shooting another man to death Tuesday in Anchorage’s South Addition neighborhood is facing multiple charges, including first- and second-degree murder.
According to a complaint filed the same day as his arrest, Tommy James Rumph killed Treavonne Owens, 30, just outside the home Rumph and his girlfriend shared.
Tuesday, officers with the Anchorage Police Department (APD) responded to West 15th Avenue and E Street where citizens reported shots fired, as well as someone lying in the street, the complaint says.
When APD arrived, they found Owens dead from apparent gun shot wounds in the southbound lanes of E Street.
According to the complaint, Owens had driven two people to Rumph’s house — although the court document doesn’t specifically say why or what time. When Owens got to Rumph’s home, his friends stayed in the car while he went inside alone.
One of the people with Owens, who identified herself as a friend, told detectives Owens was only in the residence for a “short period of time” before he got back into the 2005 Chrysler 300 he had been driving.
Owens’ friend told APD that Owens and Rumph had been arguing and, even though Owens got back in the vehicle for a short moment, he got back out, the complaint states. Then the friend heard gunshots, but wasn’t able to see them because she was ducking.
The other person with Owens, who identified himself as a cousin, told police Owens had driven to the home to meet “TJ,” whom the cousin later identified as Rumph in a photo lineup, the complaint says. Owens’ cousin also said the men had been arguing.
“He said Treavonne got into the driver’s seat but then got back out and continued arguing with TJ. (The cousin) said he then heard 2 or 3 shots and saw TJ walking away and was holding a gun as he walked away,” detective James Trull writes in the complaint.
Rumph’s girlfriend told detectives she didn’t witness the shooting, but heard it. She said she woke up to the sounds of the two men arguing. She told law enforcement that Rumph left and suspected he had shot Owens, the complaint says.
His girlfriend was able to get in touch with him while police were on scene. Rumph told her, “he threw his life away.” Rumph also told her where the weapon was — in a kitchen cabinet.
Rumph’s girlfriend encouraged him to turn himself in, but police had to search for him. APD closed nearby schools immediately following the event. Police said they thought he was armed and dangerous.
According to the complaint, Rumph was arrested at 8:03 a.m. near 29th Avenue and Willow Street.
He told investigators he knew Owens, who also went by “Deuce.” Rumph said when Owens got to his house they began to argue and then they woke up his girlfriend. Then, Rumph said, he told Owens to leave and they both went outside.
“At some point, Tommy Rumph claimed that Treavonne got out of his car and shoved him. At that point Rumph stated ‘everything happened.’ He then gestured like he was holding and shooting a gun,” the document states.
Police also received reports of messages that Rumph allegedly sent, and viewed them, that said, “I killed Deuce.”
In addition to the murder charges, Rumph also faces third-degree weapons misconduct and fourth-degree drug misconduct. While at APD headquarters, he went outside to smoke a cigarette and pulled out a small bag of cocaine, the document claims.
Rumph is scheduled to be arraigned at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.
