Overbrook teen charged in 'gentle giant's' gun slaying

Police have arrested a Overbrook man for fatally shooting a young special-needs man to steal his pricey Dr. Dre headphones.

Arkel Garcia, 19, of Lebanon Avenue near 54th Street, was charged yesterday with murder, robbery and related offenses for the Nov. 30 slaying of Christian Massey, 21, a Marple Newtown High School graduate friends described as a "gentle giant."

Garcia allegedly gunned Massey down just four blocks from Garcia's home, as Massey left a friend's home on Lebanon Avenue near 58th, said Officer Jillian Russell, a police spokeswoman. The suspect shot Massey in the chest during a struggle over Massey's iPhone and headphones, police said. Massey was laid to rest last night.

At the time of Massey's slaying, Garcia was on probation from a February 2012 drug conviction, court records show. He also has been arrested for loitering, public urination and disorderly conduct, records show. He's now being held without bail pending a Dec. 31 preliminary hearing on the murder case.

Massey played football, lacrosse and basketball at Marple Newtown and also participated in the Special Olympics. He also attended Don Guanella Village, a school for teenage boys with developmental disabilities.