Suspect sought after sex assault of teen on transit platform

PHILADELPHIA » Police and transit officials are seeking help from the public in finding a man who sexually assaulted a teenager at gunpoint on a transit platform near Philadelphia’s City Hall.

A man believed to be in his 20s approached the 17-yearold victim from behind on the City Hall Station platform at about 10 p.m. Tuesday, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority said Wednesday.

Authorities say he drew a gun from his waistband, grabbed the girl and forced himself on her, performing a sexual act before fleeing. The victim called police shortly afterward and officers responded immediately but the suspect was gone, officials said.

SEPTA Police Chief Thomas Nestel released surveillance video of the suspect and told reporters that he is “the #1 most wanted person at SEPTA right now.”

“This is an unusual event for us,” he said. “This is horrifying. We want to catch this person . ... What he did was vile. “

Police say the suspect may frequent the Olney Transportation Center in north Philadelphia and the Walnut/Locust Station in Center City and “should be considered armed and dangerous.”

Defense seeks new DNA tests before 1988 slaying resentencing

ALTOONA, PA. » Defense attorneys are asking a judge to order new DNA tests in a 30-year-old murder case before resentencing a man convicted as a juvenile of the slaying.

The (Altoona) Mirror reports that 47-year-old James Rogers is to be resentenced in the 1988 murder because of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling barring mandatory life terms for juvenile offenders.

Rogers was 17 when 72-year-old Pasquale Lascoli was stabbed at least 70 times during a robbery at his Altoona home.

DNA tests were so novel during his 1989 trial that a judge held four days of testimony to determine their validity. But a defense expert witness testified Tuesday that the testing done at the time was unreliable.

The hearing was continued to allow defense attorneys time to prepare for the prosecution’s rebuttal witness.

Boy, 13, pulled from Poconos lake pronounced dead

POCONO SUMMIT, PA. » Authorities say a 13-year-old boy pulled from a lake in the Pocono Mountains was pronounced dead at a hospital the following morning.

Pocono Mountain Regional Police were called just before 3 p.m. Sunday to Stillwater Lakes Clubhouse at Stillwater Lake in Pocono Summit after 13-year-old Devin Marrillo went missing.

Officers joined a search already in progress on the lake but poor visibility in the water hampered the effort.

Officials said Marrillo was found in 10 feet of water and taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono, from which he was flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. Authorities say he was pronounced dead there Monday morning.

Hearing on insanity defense in woman’s slaying continued

SCRANTON, PA. » A hearing on whether a northeastern Pennsylvania man will be allowed to use an insanity defense in the death of a neighbor found slain in a bathtub has been delayed due to concerns about the defendant’s mental state.

The (Scranton) Times-Tribune reports that a Lackawanna Court hearing was continued Tuesday after attorneys for 30-year-old Joseph Thornton raised concerns that he may still be incompetent for trial even after forced psychiatric medication.

Thornton is charged in the death of 29-year-old Stephanie Tyminski, who was found dead in a bathtub at Scranton’s Valley View Terrace in December 2014. Authorities said bloodstains were found in Thornton’s apartment and the victim had repeatedly rejected his advances.

Thornton’s trial has been delayed several times due to concerns about his competency to aid his defense.

Man missing in river after falling in trying to dock boat

WRIGHTSVILLE, PA. » Rescue crews in central Pennsylvania have been searching for a man missing in the Susquehanna River.

Authorities say the 35-year-old Lancaster man fell into the river Tuesday night as he was trying to dock a boat at the Long Level Marina in Wrightsville, York County.

Officials say others on the boat tried to rescue him, but he floated downstream and went under. Duane Hagelgans of Blue Rock Fire Rescue told WGAL-TV that if the victim had been wearing a life vest, he would have been floating and could have been rescued quickly.

At last eight boats searched Tuesday night using night vision cameras. The volunteer crews from York and Lancaster counties ended their search after 1 a.m. Wednesday, planning to resume later in the morning.