Philadelphia man found shot, killed inside his home in apparent robbery after missing work

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A Philadelphia man was discovered shot and killed in his home nearly four years ago after he had missed two work shifts.

Now, his aunt hopes someone can finally help solve his murder.

Barry Torrence, 44, loved roller skating, according to his aunt.

"He taught all the kids how to skate, nieces and nephews, and the kids in the neighborhood. He took them skating every weekend," said Debra Torrence.

His passion is evident, even on his headstone.

"All the kids just couldn't wait to get Barry. 'Are we going skating? Is he there? Is he working? Are we going skating?'" Debra recalled.

She also says Barry had a strong work ethic.

"He loved construction," she said. "He worked for the Post Brothers for two years and never missed a day of work."

She said that's what made the call her family received on October 26, 2020, so hard.

"His job called us and told us that he had two no-call no-shows and we didn't, we couldn't believe it, because we knew that wasn't him," she remembered.

Debra said she had just been with Barry days earlier, on October 23.

Family members went to his house along the 4800 block of Westminster Avenue in West Philadelphia.

There, they found him in the second-floor front bedroom shot to death. The family said the motive appeared to be robbery.

"They took the truck and took all the stuff out of the house," said Debra.

Police said there was no forced entry.

"He let you in, so he had to know you. So it had to be very personal that he knew you to let you in his house," Debra told Action News.

The City of Philadelphia is offering up to $20,000 in reward money for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.

All you have to do is call the Citizens Crime Commission at 215-546-TIPS. All calls will remain anonymous.

"We pray every night we pray about this, we just want a little closure," said Debra.