Teen dumped at Civil War museum had been forced into his car trunk, shot in face: police

Torin Dworchak

Torin Dworchak arrived for the Middletown Area High School prom in May 18. Less than four months later, he was killed in a robbery plot, police say.

Harrisburg police on Wednesday charged a teen with the kidnapping and fatal shooting of a Middletown teen who was found dead in the National Civil War Museum parking lot.

Police arrested Tyrese Andre Randolph, 18, of Harrisburg, on Sept. 6, the day after the body of his friend Torin Dworchak, 18, was found. Police say they linked Randolph to Dworchak’s stolen debit card, which was being used in Dauphin County stores after Dworchak’s death.

Randolph originally was charged with two counts of identity theft and four counts of unauthorized use of a debit card. He remained in prison on a $200,000 bond. On Wednesday, police added charges of first-degree-murder, kidnapping, robbery and conspiracy for kidnapping and robbery. He is now being held without bond.

Police say in court records that Randolph and a co-defendant set up Dworchak for a robbery, forced Dworchak into the trunk of his own car and then shot Dworchak twice in the face while he was still in the trunk.

The co-defendant, Nathaniel Acevedo, 20, is the alleged triggerman. Acevedo was charged with the same felony crimes as Randolph, as well as the misdemeanor identity theft crimes, but he remained on the loose Wednesday night.

Dauphin County Senior Deputy District Attorney Steven Zawisky said the facts of the case were extremely disturbing.

“This was ruthless,” he said.

Killing of Middletown teen

Tyrese Randolph, 18, is charged with taking part in the killing and robbery of Torin Dworchak, 18, of Middletown.

Court records gave this account:

Randolph and Acevedo were together Sept. 4 when Dworchak contacted Randolph to meet up, and Randolph agreed. After speaking with Dworchak, Randoph and Acevedo agreed on a plan to rob Dworchak.

When Randolph and Dworchak were outside of Randolph’s apartment on Thomas Street, just outside of Reservoir Park, Acevedo showed up with a gun and demanded Dworchak’s wallet and cell phone, police said. Acevedo then forced Dworchak into the trunk of his car, and Acevedo drove it away with Randolph in the passenger seat, the court documents say.

Acevedo pulled over somewhere in Bellevue Park, exited the car and opened the trunk. That’s when police say Acevedo confronted Dworchak and shot him twice in the head. Acevedo then got back into the car and drove away, eventually abandoning the car with Dworchak’s body still in the trunk, according to court records.

Randolph and Acevedo then walked away, their separate ways.

Acevedo reportedly went back to the car overnight, drove it to the museum and dumped Dworchak’s body, court records say. Acevedo later abandoned the car in another location, police said.

Later that day, Dworchak’s mother noticed her son’s debit card was being used at various stores and she reported the activity to police. Police went to the stores where the purchases were made and watched video surveillance, which showed Randolph and Acevedo using the card.

Acevedo did not have a prior adult criminal record in Pennsylvania, according to online court records.

Randolph was arrested on July 9 and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance. He was free on unsecured bond and pleaded guilty to the lesser misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia on July 18.

The killing represented the second alleged robbery involving friends and a fatal set-up in Harrisburg in recent weeks. On Monday, Harrisburg police charged a second teenager in the Aug. 30 fatal shooting of Kyler Waiwada, 18, on Aug. 30.

READ: Harrisburg police accuse man of stealing gun from 14-year-old neighbor, using it in homicide

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