Police say 31-year-old Arkel Garcia was last seen in Florida after a Philadelphia homicide and a fatal Fort Pierce house fire.
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Police agencies from Pennsylvania to Florida are searching for Arkel Tymere Garcia, 31, a previously convicted murderer whose 2013 case was vacated in 2021 and who is now wanted in a new Philadelphia killing and sought for questioning in a Fort Pierce, Fla., homicide. Authorities say Garcia should be considered armed and dangerous and could be moving between the two states.
Investigators say the renewed manhunt began after a Nov. 12 killing in Northwest Philadelphia and a second deadly incident on Nov. 28 in St. Lucie County, Fla. U.S. Marshals and local detectives describe Garcia as a high-risk fugitive with a history that complicates the search: he served time in the 2013 slaying of Christian Massey before that conviction was thrown out because of police misconduct. Officials say they are coordinating surveillance footage reviews, phone records analysis and interstate leads while warning residents not to approach him. The immediate stakes are public safety and capturing a suspect believed to target vulnerable victims. Warrants are active in Philadelphia; Florida authorities are seeking him for questioning in a parallel case.
In Philadelphia, detectives obtained an arrest warrant after 68-year-old David Weinkopff was found dead Nov. 12 inside a fourth-floor apartment on the 4900 block of Stenton Ave. Police records describe blunt-force injuries and a ransacked home. Neighbors told investigators Garcia had been seen in the building before the attack. “This is an individual we consider highly dangerous due to his pattern of violence,” Robert Clark, a supervisory deputy U.S. marshal, said. In Florida, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office says Garcia is a person of interest in the Nov. 28 death of 51-year-old Antwan Lamar Daniels, who suffered blunt-force trauma and smoke inhalation after his Fort Pierce home was set on fire. Detectives there held a briefing Dec. 18 and released images and timeline details.
Officials say Garcia was last seen in St. Lucie County on Nov. 29 near the Bentonwood Mobile Home Park along the 6100 block of U.S. Highway 1. Investigators learned he received a ride that day and was dropped off in Fort Lauderdale later that evening. His last known address is on the 1800 block of W. Glennwood Ave. in Philadelphia. Authorities released a physical description and warned that he may change his appearance. Family of earlier victim Christian Massey, 21, said the unfolding cases have reopened wounds from the 2013 killing in West Philadelphia, when Massey was shot during an attempted theft of headphones. “It shows the system can fail,” said Pebble Hill, Massey’s cousin, adding that they hope prosecutors review the earlier case in light of the new allegations.
Garcia’s 2013 conviction was vacated in 2021 after prosecutors said the case had been tainted by disgraced former homicide detective Philip Nordo. A judge agreed, and the district attorney’s office declined to retry the murder charge. Garcia remained imprisoned on a separate aggravated assault conviction tied to a courthouse altercation and was paroled last fall. In the current Philadelphia case, police say video and audio recordings place a man believed to be Garcia at the Stenton Ave. building around the time of Weinkopff’s death, with sounds of a struggle captured. Investigators also reported finding metallic rods, clothing and cleaning supplies nearby along rail tracks. Detectives have not publicly detailed a motive in either of the new investigations and have not said what, if anything, was taken from the Philadelphia scene.
Authorities in both states outlined next steps. In Philadelphia, homicide detectives plan additional canvasses and are processing forensic evidence while the U.S. Marshals Service leads fugitive operations. In Florida, the sheriff’s office is pursuing arson and homicide leads, awaiting lab results and continuing interviews tied to movements in late November. Briefings are expected as new tips come in; the St. Lucie County sheriff said investigators believe Garcia may try to leave Florida. Court filings in Philadelphia list murder and related offenses; a hearing date will be set once Garcia is in custody. Officials emphasized the multi-agency nature of the search, with information-sharing across local, state and federal partners.
On the ground in Fort Pierce, neighbors on South Market Ave. described the Daniels house fire as fast-moving and frightening, with smoke pushing down the block before dawn. A maintenance worker in the Philadelphia building told officers he helped open the door on Nov. 12 when police responded to a report of a person with a weapon, only to find Weinkopff unresponsive in his wheelchair. “He was a quiet man,” a tenant said outside the brick walk-up, declining to give a name. In Philadelphia, Massey’s relatives said news of the search came with anger and exhaustion. “He preys on vulnerable people,” said Massey’s sister, noting their cousin had special needs and that the Philadelphia and Florida victims were older men according to investigators.
As of Saturday, Dec. 20, authorities say Garcia’s exact location is unknown. Agencies in Pennsylvania and Florida continue to coordinate leads, with the next formal update expected if there is a credible sighting or an arrest.
Author note: Last updated December 20, 2025.