Inquirer.com – Zurich DR

Author: Robert Moran

  • A new trial is ordered for a man convicted in the slaying of Philly police officer in 2012

    A new trial is ordered for a man convicted in the slaying of Philly police officer in 2012

    A Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judge on Monday ordered a new trial for a man serving a life sentence for the death of a police officer in 2012, reportedly citing the connection of disgraced ex-homicide detective Philip Nordo to the case.

    Court records show that Judge Jennifer Schultz vacated the 2014 murder conviction of Rafael Jones, who was sentenced the following year to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the fatal shooting of Officer Moses Walker during a street robbery after the end of his shift on Aug. 18, 2012.

    KYW Newsradio reported the judge cited the case’s connection to Nordo, who was convicted in 2022 of sexually abusing witnesses and suspects.

    During Nordo’s trial, one of his accusers was an informant in the Walker homicide investigation who said Nordo helped steer a $20,000 reward to the man and then, years later, raped him.

    Multiple cases involving Nordo, including murder convictions, have been overturned in recent years.

    District Attorney Larry Krasner said he would address the order for a new trial at a news conference Tuesday.

    Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said in a statement: “I am disappointed by today’s decision, particularly for the family of Officer Moses Walker and every member of this Department who continues to carry his loss.”

    Bethel added: “At the same time, we respect the court and the legal process. We remain confident in the evidence surrounding this case and believe that, when the process is complete, the individual responsible for Officer Walker’s murder will continue to be held accountable and will never again walk free.”

    Jones and Chancier McFarland were arrested during the homicide investigation. McFarland pleaded guilty and testified against Jones as part of a deal with prosecutors to avoid life in prison.

    A lawyer for Jones could not be reached for comment. According to court records Monday, Jones was being held at the State Correctional Institution in Chester City.

    Shortly before dawn on Aug. 18, 2012, the 40-year-old Walker left the 22nd District station at 17th Street and Montgomery Avenue in North Philadelphia dressed in civilian clothes — shorts, athletic jacket, and baseball cap — and carrying a backpack and wearing earphones.

    Walker was targeted, McFarland testified, because he looked like a student from nearby Temple University — “an easy mark.”

    McFarland testified that Jones shot Walker when the officer reached for a weapon.

    After Walker collapsed at Woodstock Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, McFarland said, he grabbed the officer’s iPod and earphones before taking off.

  • Man charged with murder in the death of a fellow inmate at Burlington County state facility

    Man charged with murder in the death of a fellow inmate at Burlington County state facility

    A 23-year-old New Jersey man was charged with first-degree murder in the July 17 death of another inmate at the Garden State Youth Correctional Facility in Burlington County, Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw said Friday.

    Trevor Banton, of East Orange, allegedly killed 24-year-old Yasin Sellers in the prison gym after a religious service attended by other inmates, Bradshaw said.

    Correctional officers found Sellers unresponsive on the floor and he was pronounced dead at the scene, Bradshaw said.

    Banton is awaiting his first court appearance in the case.

    No other details about the fatal assault were released.

  • Police were searching for a man who fired a gun inside a Walmart in Delaware County

    Police are searching for a man who fired a gun inside a Walmart store in Delaware County, wounding an employee.

    Around 7:30 p.m. Friday, police responded to a report of shots fired inside the Walmart at 50 N. MacDade Blvd. in Glenolden. Officers found a woman suffering from a “non-life-threatening” wound to the calf, police said Friday night in a video NBC10 Philadelphia posted to social media.

    The woman, a Walmart employee, was taken to the hospital and is “expected to be just fine,” police said.

    A disagreement between two customers led up to the shooting, police said.

    Police said they recovered the gun that was fired.

    Police initially searched a nearby ShopRite supermarket where some witnesses said the shooter ran to, but police did not find the gunman, who was described as wearing an orange sweatshirt and black pants.

    Police said they believed the man was shooting at someone and they were checking with area hospitals in case a victim arrived for treatment.

    A Walmart spokesperson said the safety of associates and customers is a top priority.

    “We’re grateful to first responders for their swift response and are working closely with law enforcement as they continue their investigation,” the spokesperson said.

    Police said there was no immediate threat to the public.

  • A suspect was arrested in the fatal hit-and-run of a Temple University student on Kelly Drive

    A suspect was arrested in the fatal hit-and-run of a Temple University student on Kelly Drive

    A 48-year-old man suspected of being the hit-and-run driver who killed 20-year-old Temple University student Bryce Wolfe on Kelly Drive in June was arrested Thursday, the U.S. Marshals Service said.

    Derek Reid was taken into custody on the 7200 block of Briar Road in the city’s West Oak Lane section, authorities confirmed.

    The U.S. Marshals Service said Reid also was being sought by the Philadelphia Police Department’s Special Victims Unit on charges of rape and related offenses involving an underage boy in 2021.

    Wolfe, who had just completed his sophomore year at Temple University, was riding his red 2004 Triumph motorcycle on Kelly Drive the night of June 24 when he was struck by a white SUV making an illegal turn onto Reservoir Drive, near the Strawberry Mansion Bridge, Philadelphia police said.

    His body became lodged under the SUV and he was dragged for more than a mile, police said. He died at the hospital the next day.

    Police later released surveillance images of the SUV suspected in Wolfe’s death. Investigators believe the SUV was a 2001-08 Chevrolet Trailblazer, possibly with damage on the driver’s side, with possible red paint transfer, a broken rear windshield, and a discolored passenger-side front wheel.

    The suspected vehicle was located earlier this month, police said.

    Police on July 7, 2026, released images of the suspected SUV, believed to be a white 2001-08 Chevrolet Trailblazer, that fatally struck 20-year-old Bryce Wolfe, a Temple University student, on June 24.Philadelphia Police Department

    Lori Wolfe, Bryce’s mother, said the Philadelphia police called earlier on Thursday to let her family know that the suspected driver was in custody.

    “We were happy they made an arrest,” she said. “I felt there would be an arrest because the accident investigation department of Philadelphia worked very hard to bring justice to Bryce.”

    She added: “Although none of this gives our son back to us, the person responsible should be charged with murder. He drug our son for a mile and left him to die in the street.”

    Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner on Friday announced that Reid was charged with homicide by vehicle, accident involving death, involuntary murder, and recklessly endangering another person.

    Krasner confirmed that Reid was facing charges for a violent sexual assault against a minor, including rape, statutory sexual assault involving a victim between 8 and 11 years old, and related offenses.

    After Reid was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service, he allegedly admitted to being the driver of the SUV that fatally struck Bryce Wolfe, Krasner said.

    Reid was being held on $750,000 bail for the fatal hit-and-run, and $750,000 for the 2021 rape, Krasner said.

    “The devastation Defendant Derek Reid inflicted on these two families is horrific. No one deserves to have their son taken away in such a careless way. We will pursue these charges to the fullest extent of the law,” Krasner said in a statement.

    “This office also has zero tolerance for predators who brutalize the vulnerable, to include our children and young people. We are standing with these families during their journey of healing and we will do everything we can to seek and secure justice,” Krasner said.

    Bryce Wolfe, of Conyngham, a borough in Luzerne County, was an actuarial science major in the Fox School of Business and had just completed his sophomore year.

    A GoFundMe was established to help Bryce’s family.

    In an obituary written by his parents, Bryce was described as having lived his life “with a fearless spirit of adventure and a genuine love for the outdoors.”

    He “found joy in seeking new challenges and embraced every opportunity to experience the world to its fullest. Whether carving down snow-covered slopes while skiing, exploring miles of trails on his bicycle, or riding motorcycles through rugged dirt tracks and open roads, he felt most alive when he was in motion,” Lori Wolfe and Clarence Wolfe III wrote.

    Bryce had started a summer internship and acquired the Triumph to ride while he stayed in Philadelphia, his mother said in a recent interview.

    Said Lori Wolfe, “It was the first motorcycle he bought and insured all by himself.”

  • Atlantic City lifeguard is charged with attempting to lure an underage girl who was actually an undercover detective

    Atlantic City lifeguard is charged with attempting to lure an underage girl who was actually an undercover detective

    An Atlantic City lifeguard has been charged with attempting to pay for sex with who he believed to be an underage girl but who turned out to be an undercover detective, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office said Thursday.

    Stephen M. Pagnoni, of Egg Harbor Township, was arrested this week and was being held at the Camden County Correctional Facility pending a detention hearing, Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay said.

    Pagnoni, who has worked for the Atlantic City Beach Patrol for around 20 years, was suspended from his position, MacAulay said.

    On Tuesday, Pagnoni allegedly began communicating online with a person he believed was a 15-year-old girl, but who was in fact a detective with the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crimes Unit, MacAulay said.

    During the conversation, Pagnoni allegedly arranged to meet the supposed teen girl at a park in Cherry Hill for sex in exchange for money, MacAulay said.

    After he arrived at the location, MacAulay said, Pagnoni was taken into custody by Cherry Hill police and members of the prosecutor’s office.

    Pagnoni was charged with first-degree attempted manufacturing of child sexual abuse material, second-degree attempting to lure a child, second-degree attempted sexual assault of a minor, second-degree attempted prostitution with a minor, and related offenses.

    In an emailed statement, the Atlantic City Department of Public Safety said it was aware of the criminal charges against Pagnoni.

    “Based upon those charges, the lifeguard has been suspended from duty pending the outcome of the criminal investigation. The department will continue to monitor the investigation and will take any additional administrative action that may be appropriate as the matter proceeds,” the agency said.

    Anyone with information that could be helpful to the investigation can contact Sgt. John Cochran of the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crimes Unit at 856-225-8826. Tips may also be sent to CAMDEN.TIPS.

  • University of Valley Forge announces it will suspend operations after summer semester

    University of Valley Forge announces it will suspend operations after summer semester

    The University of Valley Forge, a small private Christian institution in Chester County, on Wednesday announced that it would suspend operations at the end of its summer 2026 semester.

    The Charlestown Township-based college — which enrolls 589 students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics — has been facing the possible loss of its accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

    Middle States last month issued its most serious warning — “show cause” — to the small Christian college that prepares students for leadership in the church and the world. It cited concerns about finances, planning, and governance.

    Colleges need accreditation to keep their students eligible for financial aid.

    The University of Valley Forge recently said on its website that it planned to charge $41,020 in tuition, fees, and room and board for next academic school year, which was scheduled to start Aug. 30.

    The school employed 419 people in 2021, according to the school’s most recently filed Form 990. With expenses of $20.2 million, the school operated with a $1.9 million loss that year.

    “After much prayer, careful consideration, and consultation, the Board of Trustees of the University of Valley Forge has made the difficult and painful decision to suspend academic operations at the conclusion of the Summer 2026 semester,” the board said in a statement.

    “This decision follows extensive efforts to address the University’s financial challenges, pursue strategic partnerships, and identify sustainable paths forward. These challenges have been well documented over several decades and were reflected in the recent action of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which placed the University on Show Cause status,” the board said.

    “After careful assessment of the University’s financial realities, the Board concluded that it could not continue academic operations responsibly beyond the Summer 2026 semester,” the board said.

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    The 87-year-old institution — which is affiliated with the Assemblies of God USA denomination — will maintain staff and services to help students continue their education elsewhere, the board said.

    “To our students, we are deeply sorry. We understand that this announcement disrupts your lives, your plans, and your sense of stability, and we are grieving for you and with you,” the board said.

    “Please know that until the very last moment, we had significant reason to believe there was a sustainable path forward. However, that path did not materialize in time,” the board said.

  • Camden man is arrested after a K-9 dog finds a phone allegedly used to solicit nude images from 7-year-old girl

    Camden man is arrested after a K-9 dog finds a phone allegedly used to solicit nude images from 7-year-old girl

    A 36-year-old Camden man was charged with soliciting sexually explicit photos from a 7-year-old girl after a specially trained K-9 dog found the phone the man allegedly used to message the victim, Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay said Wednesday.

    Elmer Lao was arrested on July 22 after a search was conducted at his residence and the phone was discovered in his bedroom by a K-9 dog named Rookie, who is trained to detect electronic devices, MacAulay said.

    Lao was charged with second-degree attempted manufacturing of child sexual abuse material and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child. He was being held at the Camden County Correctional Facility pending a detention hearing, MacAulay said.

    On July 20, the special victims and high-tech crimes units of the prosecutor’s office began the investigation after the 7-year-old girl disclosed that a man had begun sending her messages on TikTok and by text message, MacAulay said.

    Investigators determined that Lao allegedly engaged in messaging conversations with the girl, whom he knew to be 7 years old, MacAulay said.

    Lao allegedly sent nude videos of himself to the girl and requested that the girl send nude photos of herself in return, MacAulay said.

    “Predators often use social media and messaging apps to target children, making parental involvement more important than ever,” MacAulay said in a statement.

    “I urge every parent to regularly monitor their child’s messages on TikTok and other social media platforms and to have ongoing conversations about online safety and the risks of communicating with strangers,” MacAulay said.

    Anyone with information that could be helpful to the investigation can contact Detective Jessica Minniti of the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit at 856-225-8537. Tips may also be sent to CAMDEN.TIPS.

  • American Airlines says technology outage temporarily halted flights

    American Airlines says technology outage temporarily halted flights

    American Airlines said Tuesday night that flights were temporarily halted because of a “technology issue” but have begun to resume.

    “A technology issue briefly impacted connectivity for some of our systems on Tuesday evening,” the airline posted on social media.

    “Systems are coming back online now and flights are departing again. We put a temporary ground stop in place while our teams worked to resolve the issue. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience,” the airline said.

    American Airlines is the busiest carrier at Philadelphia International Airport.

  • 2 executives with South Jersey security firm charged with stealing millions through embezzlement and bank fraud

    2 executives with South Jersey security firm charged with stealing millions through embezzlement and bank fraud

    The founder of a security company in South Jersey has been charged in connection with embezzling $3 million from his business and causing a $9 million loss for a bank, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazier announced Monday.

    Robert Cormier, 51, of Barrington, was arraigned on July 20 in Camden federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Pascal. He was charged in an indictment filed July 8 with embezzlement by bank agent, bank fraud, money laundering, income tax evasion, and failing to collect and pay over payroll taxes.

    Cormier was still in federal custody on Monday, according to court records. A federal defender representing Cormier could not be reached for comment.

    A second man, Richard Eisler, 38, of Clementon, who was the deputy director for the security company, was charged in a separate indictment in connection with embezzling over $2 million from the business.

    Eisler was charged with embezzlement by bank agent, money laundering, income tax evasion, and witness tampering. Eisler was arraigned on Friday in Camden federal court before Pascal and pleaded not guilty, court records show. Eisler was released on $100,000 unsecured bail.

    The lawyer representing Eisler could not be reached for comment Monday.

    In 2017, Cormier started Erigere Rapidus Solutions, Inc. (ERS), a security services business based in Westville, prosecutors said.

    According to several organizations that promoted him as a public speaker with a law enforcement background, Cormier is a retired U.S. Border Patrol agent. The Latin phrase “erigere rapidus” is the motto for a special operations group in the Border Patrol, an agency official posted on social media last year. Various translations say the Latin means “stand ready” or “rapid deployment” or something similar.

    On Monday, it was unclear if Erigere Rapidus Solutions was still operating as a business. The domain name used for the company’s website was available for sale.

    In late 2019, ERS entered into an agreement with a local bank to collect, count, transport, store, and deposit cash, prosecutors said.

    ERS employees, including Eisler, were responsible for picking up cash from various customers of the bank, counting and storing the cash, and providing daily reports about the cash to the bank.

    On a daily basis, ERS stored varying amounts of cash in its vault ranging from $1 million to $12 million, prosecutors said.

    The bank ended its relationship with ERS after determining that more than $8 million was missing from the vault, prosecutors said.

    Starting in 2020 until 2022, Cormier allegedly stole at least $3 million in cash out of the vault, prosecutors said.

    Cormier, who was the company’s chief operating officer, allegedly used the embezzled funds to cover business-related costs and to pay personal expenses for himself and his family members, including the installation of a deck and a pool, and household renovations, prosecutors said.

    He allegedly failed to report the extra income to the Internal Revenue Service and did not collect and pay over payroll taxes for employees of ERS, prosecutors said.

    From 2020 until late 2021, Eisler allegedly stole at least $2 million from the vault, prosecutors said.

    Eisler allegedly used the embezzled funds to pay personal expenses for himself and his family members, including the purchase of a Porsche 911, two Audis, two trucks, and a recreational vehicle, prosecutors said.

    He also allegedly used the money to pay for wedding rings, a wedding reception, and a roof for his residence, and to pay off an automobile loan, prosecutors said. Eisler allegedly failed to report the income to the IRS.

    Prosecutors also allege that Eisler attempted to obstruct the investigation by attempting to persuade a witness to lie to federal agents.

  • Woman killed, child injured in South Jersey crash after she allegedly fled from police

    Woman killed, child injured in South Jersey crash after she allegedly fled from police

    A 41-year-old woman was killed and a 5-year-old child injured after the woman allegedly fled from a police traffic stop and crashed a vehicle into a tree early Monday, the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office said.

    The woman was identified as Holly Hageman, but no other information about her was released. The child’s injuries were not life-threatening, the prosecutor’s office said.

    Just after 11:55 p.m. Sunday, Mantua Township police conducted a vehicle stop for a traffic violation on southbound Route 55.

    While one officer was standing with the driver outside the vehicle, another officer ordered Hageman, who was a backseat passenger, to exit the vehicle, the prosecutor’s office said.

    “Instead, Hageman climbed into the driver’s seat and drove away at a high rate of speed. Also present in the vehicle at the time was a 5-year-old child,” the prosecutor’s office said.

    Police lost track of the vehicle and transported the driver to the Mantua Township Police Department.

    Mantua police were then notified by the New Jersey State Police that Hageman had crashed into a tree about three miles from the original traffic stop and suffered fatal injuries, the prosecutor’s office said.

    The investigation was ongoing.