A car fire at a vacant lot quickly became a homicide scene in North Philadelphia overnight.
Around 11 p.m. Wednesday, Philadelphia firefighters responded to the 3300 block of N 19th Street to put out a minivan fire.
After battling back the flames, firefighters found a man’s badly burned body in the backseat and called police, said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.
The victim appeared to be targeted, his ankles and wrists bound with duct tape, police said.
“We don’t know who this person is, he’s a John Doe at this particular time,” Small said at the scene.
Investigators say the man was possibly killed before being lit on fire but an official cause of death was pending the medical examiner's report.
Anyone who knows anything about this crime should contact Philadelphia Police.
