Man Charged With Murdering Neighbor

PHILADELPHIA - A lone teddy bear sits outside the Oxford Circle home where, according to police, an elderly man suffered a brutal beating Monday and died a short time later.

Relatives of Dallas Custalow talked Tuesday about his generosity and how it put him in the path of a neighbor on a rampage, Fox 29's Claudia Gomez reported.

Late Tuesday afternoon, authorities charged the suspect, Michael Bocchinfuso, with one count of general murder.

Homicide detectives were waiting for the coroner's report before processing the 44-year-old at police headquarters for what witnesses described as an unprovoked attack.

They called Custalow "Chief" because of his Native American roots. But the nickname also fit for other reasons. At age 71, he still lifted weights, worked as a roofer and commanded the respect of everyone who knew him.

"No matter what it was he always gave you the brighter side of the picture and told you what life could be like," said Sheryl Ross, Custalow's niece.

"I've just been crying ever since because he was such a good man," said Jaimie Murray, another neice.

Custalow's generosity may have cost him his life on Monday night, when his neighbor on the 1300 block of Anchor Street came knocking.

"He was banging on the door, crying like he was hurt or he needed help," Ross said. "So, my uncle got up to open the door to see what was going on. As soon as my uncle opened the door, he started beating him."

"I mean, I don't understand why this had to happen," said Debra Wagner, another relative.

Wagner said she witnessed the attack, which stretched from Custalow's front door to the corner of Anchor Street half a block away.

"They started fighting down the street, and Mike knocked him down a few times. It just went round and round. He hit him with the trash can," Wagner said.

Custalow, who was also struck with a shovel, somehow got away and made it back home. But then a chronic heart problem took hold.

"His eyes started rolling. He was trembling, and he couldn't breathe," Wagner said.

Custalow died at the hospital a short time later. His family now struggles to understand why the attack occurred, since Custalow often tried to help his neighbor, who had developed a reputation of his own.

"He was a mean guy. He always was mean, ignorant -- cuss you out, just look at you. I was scared of him a little bit," said next-door neighbor Nikki Bennett. "… But I couldn't believe that he would do that to that old man like that."

When police arrived Bocchinfuso had barricaded himself inside his home. Police said at the time that they considered the assailant "extremely dangerous" because he has a history of mental illness and drug abuse. He also apparently had guns registered in his name.

Police finally took him into custody around midnight.

The medical examiner's officer ruled that Custalow died of cardiac arrest brought on by physical assault.

A check of criminal records showed Bocchinfuso has been previously charged with aggravated assault, which could influence the judge who will make a decision about bail later Tuesday night, Gomez reported.