READING, Pa.- Authorities said Josiah Vaux, 23, and Luke Foxx, 21, are the latest to be arrested in the case of Michael Petrino Jr. Both are facing second-degree murder, kidnapping and related charges.
“This was a resolution of that investigation and months of reviewing evidence related to witness statements, video footage and digital evidence, which is what led us to these two,” said Reading Police Criminal Investigator, Sgt. Trevor Atkins.
So far, eight people are charged in relation to Petrino’s disappearance and presumed death.
Police said on March 25, Petrino was lured to the area of North Sercond and Oley streets in Reading by Amir Frazier, Jayden Santiago and Jayden Edwards. There, they met three other defendants — Jazmiere Brockington, Khalil Nein and Gerson Caicedo — who forcibly put Petrino in the trunk of the car they were driving before leaving and traveling to a secluded area near Birdsboro, authorities say.
From there, investigators say they believe Petrino was handed over to Vaux and Foxx.
“There was an ongoing issue between Michael Petrino Jr. and those other two individuals, and they were actively seeking Petrino and were offering other people money and narcotics to bring him to them,” Atkins said.
Investigators said they believe Vaux and Foxx, who were armed, tied Petrino up after the exchange and put him in the trunk of the car they were driving before they left the area.
Petrino has not been seen since.
“It was obvious that was planned, very detailed planning and being careful not to leave any breadcrumbs about what happened to Michael Petrino,” said Atkins.
Vaux and Foxx are being arraigned and will be taken to Berks County Prison. Investigators are continuing to search for Petrino’s body.
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