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Cops ID suspect in Penn State student's slaying

Mohan Varughese dreamed of being a school psychologist so he could comfort troubled youth. But a troubled young man demolished that dream two weeks ago when he gunned down Varughese, a Penn State-Abingdon student just four days away from graduating, in a botched robbery near Temple University's campus.

Victim Mohan Varughese (left) and murder suspect Jeffrey Little.
Victim Mohan Varughese (left) and murder suspect Jeffrey Little.Read more

Mohan Varughese dreamed of being a school psychologist so he could comfort troubled youth.

But a troubled young man demolished that dream two weeks ago when he gunned down Varughese, a Penn State-Abingdon student just four days away from graduating, in a botched robbery near Temple University's campus.

Yesterday, homicide Capt. James Clark announced that police were seeking Jeffrey Little, 19, of North Philadelphia, who is "very known to police," in Varughese's May 9 slaying.

In fact, Little was supposed to be under house arrest when he allegedly killed Varughese, court records show.

His adult record shows he was arrested twice on drug charges last year; in March, he was convicted of a drug-possession charge under a diversionary program aimed at drug offenders. His sentence required him to spend six months under house arrest, complete 40 hours of community service and serve two years on probation, according to court records.

Tasha Jamerson, a spokeswoman for District Attorney Seth Williams, said Little should have started outpatient drug treatment and his six-month house-arrest sentence this past March 10.

It was unclear, she said, if Little had an electronic-monitoring bracelet as part of his house-arrest sentence.

Jamerson noted that authorities do not have enough electronic bracelets to outfit every convict sentenced to house arrest.

Clark cautioned that Little is "extremely violent and should be considered armed and dangerous."

Little lives on Marvine Street near Diamond, barely two blocks from where Varughese parked his red Kawasaki motorcycle on a sunny Monday evening earlier this month to visit his girlfriend, a Temple student.

As the couple sat on the steps and talked with friends on Camac Street near Susquehanna Avenue, a gunman approached and demanded that Varughese, 23, of Bustleton, surrender the keys to his motorcycle.

Varughese pleaded: "Don't do this."

And that was all it took for the stranger to begin blasting. He fired several times at his unarmed victim, hitting Varughese in the face and chest. He then fled without the bike.

Varughese, who was one of three siblings and was known in the family by the nickname "Binu," died a half-hour later at Temple University Hospital.

Varughese was to graduate from Penn State just four days after being killed. He'd earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and had recently begun working as a mental-health technician at the Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania, according to his obituary.

The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to Little's arrest.

He is described as 5 feet 9, 160 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He has numerous tattoos, especially on his chest and neck, including "Gail" inked on his left forearm, "RIP Katie" on his neck and a teardrop under his left eye. Tipsters can call the U.S. Marshals' 24-hour tip line at 866-865-TIPS or city homicide detectives at 215- 686-3334.