Francis Decero death: Suspect arrested in case of Philadelphia man found shot, stabbed & burned

PHILADELPHIA - A suspect has been arrested in connection with the death of Francis "Frankie" Decero, a Philadelphia man whose body was found shot, stabbed and burned in May, police say.

Joseph Rodriguez, 22, has been charged with the murder of 25-year-old Decero, who was reported missing from his home on April 26. 

Surveillance video obtained by FOX 29 shows him double-parking his Jeep near the intersection of 13th and Biglore Streets before he gets into another car that drove off. 

Decero’s Jeep was located somewhere different with no gas, and he was nowhere to be found. 

On May 4, officers found an unresponsive male in the area of 31st and Tasker Streets after a group of juveniles said they saw the body in the brush on Douglas Street. 

Police told FOX 29’s Kelly Rule that they were investigating if Decero was tortured because his body was found shot, stabbed, beaten and burned. 

Investigators originally followed a lead that Decero might have been targeted over recent lottery winnings, according to a source. Police Captain Jason Smith did not completely dismiss the lead, but he told FOX 29 that investigators coordinated with lottery officials and found no record of Decero winning.

Rodriguez is charged with murder, PIC, reap, conspiracy, tampering with evidence, obstruction of justice and abuse of a corpse.