No leads in Zabel killing despite reward
Despite a $10,000 reward and a video that may show the killer leaving the crime scene, authorities have not been able to identify the gunman who shot an aspiring teacher from Minnesota on Sunday and stole his iPod.
Despite a $10,000 reward and a video that may show the killer leaving the crime scene, authorities have not been able to identify the gunman who shot an aspiring teacher from Minnesota on Sunday and stole his iPod.
Still, officials said, they remain optimistic that they will find the person who killed Beau Zabel, 23, who moved to Philadelphia last month with the hope of becoming a math teacher.
Detectives received a steady stream of calls from the public and initially thought there were promising leads, but none of them have been fruitful.
Homicide Capt. James Clark said yesterday that detectives are looking at similar crimes, focusing their attention on the South Philadelphia neighborhood where Zabel was killed. They are also taking a close look at recently released inmates.
Zabel was walking home from his temporary job at Starbucks at Fourth and South Streets when he was attacked about 1:30 a.m. on the 800 block of Ellsworth Street, about a block from his apartment.
Starbucks has posted a $10,000 reward administered through the Citizens Crime Commission of Delaware Valley to help catch the killer.
Tipsters can remain anonymous when they call the crime commission at 215-546-8477 (TIPS).
Santo Montecalvo, the commission's vice president, said the group had received several calls from people interested in contributing money to the reward.
Donations may be sent to the Crime Commission at 1518 Walnut St., Suite 902, Philadelphia 19102. Donors should specify that the donation is for the Zabel reward, Montecalvo said.
Zabel's family is making arrangements for a scholarship fund and a Boy Scout memorial.
Police have surveillance video showing a man in the 800 block of Alter Street, which runs parallel to Ellsworth, who appears to be tucking an object into his belt shortly after the slaying. The shooting happened outside camera range, and the images are grainy and do not show the man's face.
Police described the man as black, 5-foot-10 to 6 feet tall, with a medium build. He was wearing dark jeans, a white T-shirt, and white sneakers.
Arrangements are by the Worlein Funeral Home, 1801 Fourth St. N.W., Austin, Minn. A private funeral is scheduled for tomorrow in Austin.
