Homicide investigators to probe death at Philadelphia Omni hotel

A Chester County man whose body was found after a small fire in his Center City hotel room Saturday morning may have been strangled before the blaze was started.

Fire marshals determined Monday that the fire on the eighth floor of the Omni Hotel in Old City was set. The investigation was turned over to the police Homicide Unit.

Detectives were awaiting the results of an autopsy on Patrick Michael Brady, 49, of Thorndale. The body showed some trauma.

The fire, reported at 10:18, was confined to a small area of Brady's room and was quickly extinguished.

Brady worked in information technology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, according to his brother, Charlie. He said the family knew little about the circumstances of his brother's death.

"I'm just trying to get some more information right now," he said. "It's a waiting game."

He said that he did not know why his brother was at the Omni, but that he must have gone out in the city Friday night and stayed over.

Brady lived with his wife and 9-year-old daughter on Corey Lane, where he was known as "the life of the party" and a huge fan of the Eagles, Phillies, and Penn State.

For the last Phillies game, Brady moved his television into his driveway and invited over his neighbors.

"If you knew Pat, you knew his family," said neighbor Lorraine Bryan. "He always talked about how proud he was."

There was no one at Brady's home Monday evening.

Neighbors said they thought Brady's wife and daughter had left Saturday morning to meet him in the city, and they were not home when police came to inform them of his death.

Neighbors said Brady was beloved by all the children in the cul-de-sac and was "a doting father" to his daughter.

"They adored each other," said neighbor Laura Bivona.

Every Sunday, Brady drove residents of a nearby elder-care facility to St. Joseph's Church in Downingtown, said neighbor Mark Bryan. He said Brady made a positive impression on everyone who met him.

The neighborhood gathered Sunday night for a candlelight prayer vigil in front of the Bradys' two-story home, which was decorated for Halloween. No one said he or she could imagine someone wanting to harm him.