Summary
William “Donnell” Porter was abducted while traveling to school in Harlem. The kidnappers demanded money from the Porter family because William’s older brother, Richard “Rich” Porter, was reputed to be a successful drug dealer.
Chronology
- December 5, 1989: William is kidnapped on the way to school.
- December 1989: ransom communications demand hundreds of thousands of dollars; part of William’s finger is delivered as coercive proof.
- January 3–4, 1990: Rich Porter is killed while William remains missing.
- January 28, 1990: William’s body is found in the Bronx.
Later Federal Attribution
A 1997 federal death-penalty notice against Clarence “Preacher” Heatley alleged that Heatley participated in the kidnapping, torture, and murder of Donnell Porter from approximately December 5, 1989 through January 20, 1990. This filing provides a direct official-record connection between the Porter case and the Preacher Crew.
John Porter, known in federal dockets as “Apple” and “Aps,” was a founding member of the Preacher Crew and was identified in a federal opinion as the uncle of a murdered nephew rendered there as “Darnell Porter.” Later street histories frequently allege that Apple helped arrange the kidnapping. The currently identified public court record is explicit about Heatley’s participation but is not equally explicit about Apple’s role in arranging the abduction; the encyclopedia should preserve that distinction.
Fritz / Ransom Accounts
Biographical and participant sources concerning Richard “Fritz” Simmons state that Rich Porter sought his help while attempting to raise the ransom and that Simmons provided resources or cocaine on consignment. Those details remain participant/biographical evidence and should be attributed rather than presented as findings of the kidnapping investigation.