Police asking for public's help solving murder of college student

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Twenty-one-year-old Jude Chacko is being remembered as a sweet and loving young man who was very involved in his local church community in the Bustleton section of Philadelphia.

It was sometime during the overnight hours this past Saturday night leading into Sunday when someone approached Chacko and shot him in the forehead. It happened near the 2700 block of Cumberland Street in Port Richmond.

It's unclear what time the shooting took place due to a lack of witnesses and surveillance cameras in the area, but a pedestrian found the victim on the ground a bit past 8 a.m. Sunday morning.

He was pronounced dead a few hours later at Temple University Hospital.

People who knew Chacko say they cannot even imagine what his parents are going through right now.

"I watched Jude become a fine young gentleman, and to witness these events over the weekend was just horrific," said Monsignor Joseph Duncan from St. Albert the Great Roman Catholic Church.

Dennis Mueller, a fellow parishioner, said, "The family is just a real pillar of the community here, and we are just devastated to hear this tragedy that happened to him."

While it's unclear what he was doing the night he was murdered, authorities believe robbery was the motive.

That's because his wallet and a firearm, for which he had a permit to carry, were both missing.

"He was a young man of faith because, again, it's strong in the family, and he lived it so beautifully. But this tragedy is just so heartbreaking," said Duncan.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.

Meanwhile, Jude Chacko's funeral is scheduled for this coming Saturday.