Somber, quiet ceremony for a cop's 99th portrait
Philadelphia Police Officer Jonathan Castro of the Graphic Arts Unit unveiled a portrait of fallen Officer Brian Lorenzo, killed by a drunk driver in 2012.
Last year, Officer Jonathan "Jonny" Castro, the Philadelphia Police Department's forensic artist, painted a portrait of Sgt. Robert Wilson III, who was killed in March 2015 as he tried to stop a robbery inside a North Philadelphia GameStop store.
In the 16 months since he finished that painting, Castro has rendered dozens of portraits of fallen officers and members of the military. He has painted Philadelphia Police Officer Charles Cassidy, Highway Patrol Sgt. Patrick McDonald, and Army Spec. Tristan Smith of Bryn Athyn.
In a somber and quiet ceremony Thursday, Castro presented his 99th portrait: to the family of fallen Highway Patrol Officer Brian "B-Lo" Lorenzo of Somerton, who was killed by a drunk driver while heading home on his motorcycle after a shift July 8, 2012. Lorenzo was 48.
John Leck Jr. of Levittown was convicted in the case in 2013 of third-degree murder, homicide by motor vehicle, and driving under the influence. He was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison.
At the presentation, Marcos Lorenzo, the deceased officer's brother, thanked Castro for his work.
"It captured everything, and I really appreciate that," he said. "I really just hope and pray that there will be a day where he will no longer need to do this."
"We think about him every day, but to have something like this — it's yet another nice constant reminder of the man he was," he added after the presentation.
Castro presented his portrait to Lorenzo's mother and brother and other relatives. In attendance were about 16 Highway Patrol officers and a few other members of the department. Capt. Sekou Kinebrew, a Philadelphia police spokesman, introduced Castro and spoke briefly about Lorenzo. Capt. Jack Fleming of the Highway Patrol said it was a credit to Lorenzo that so many officers came to honor his memory. Also there were Deputy Commissioners Myron Patterson, Dennis Wilson, and Robin Wimberly.
"With the five-year anniversary approaching of Officer Lorenzo's passing, I wanted to do something for you guys, just to let you know that the department hasn't forgotten him," Castro said to the family as he presented the painting.
He painted the portrait in digital ink, using a Wacom pen tablet and Photoshop. It took him 12 to 13 hours over four to five days, he said.
"It's just a way to give back to their families, to give them something they can hang up in their house or give them prints to pass [out] to loved ones," Castro said after the presentation.
He added that he receives letters and Facebook messages from families of the people he has painted. Some have sent the department pictures of themselves with his paintings.
Castro does not accept payment from families of fallen officers and soldiers for his work, which can be found on his Facebook page, Jonny Castro Art.