Chester merchant found slain in converted bus

Chester police are investigating the murder of a well-known merchant.

Ladislav Farkas, 56, of Woolwich Township, Gloucester County, was found by police Friday night in the old, blue school bus he had converted into a mobile convenience store. He had been shot multiple times, and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said they received a call around 7:15 p.m. about shots fired in the 800 block of West Fifth Street. They found Farkas when they arrived. They believe robbery might have been the motive.

Farkas and his bus were fixtures in Chester for about 20 years, Capt. Joseph Massi of the Chester police said yesterday.

His bus stocked everything from common household items such as toilet paper to snacks such as pizza and hot dogs.

"He was well-liked in the community," Massi said of Farkas, who was known for giving residents rides to doctors' appointments and extending credit to those who needed a hand. "Everyone seems heartbroken."

Police are continuing to investigate, and are awaiting results of forensic tests.