Police: Victim Of Center City Murder Was Beaten To Death
By Walt Hunter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – There is new information in the discovery of a body of a man on the floor inside of a home near Mole and Cherry Streets Friday afternoon.
Authorities labeled the death suspicious last week, and now police sources say it was a case of murder.
An autopsy was performed on the victim, 65-year-old Lee Stanley, and police say he was brutally beaten to death inside of his home.
A neighbor says Stanley was raised there and lived in the house virtually all of his life.
Now, members of Rodeph Shalom Synagogue are mourning the death of the lifetime member, who reportedly had a passion and great knowledge of Jewish history and music. Stanley's father, they pointed out, was a former Cantor who, during his World War II military service, liberated concentration camp prisoners.
Frank Ermilio says, "Everybody's just been completely shocked. First of all, that somebody even died and now we know it was actually a malicious attack, so that's terrifying."
On Friday police had indicated there were no obvious signs of a break-in, or of anything taken, indicating the possibility the victim may have known or even admitted his killer or killers into the home.
Now police are looking to see if there is video from any of the surrounding buildings. They say Stanley's ribs were shattered and the contents of a fire extinguisher discharged over his body.
A $20,000 reward is now being offered by the City of Philadelphia for information. The number 215-546-TIPS.
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