EXPECT ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA. A BREAK TONIGHT IN AN UNSOLVED MURDER IN SAINT LUCIE COUNTY LINKED TO A SHOOTING IN PHILADELPHIA. INVESTIGATORS HERE HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR A KILLER FOR WEEKS AFTER FORT PIERCE MAN WAS FOUND DEAD IN A FIRE IN HIS HOME, BUT THE VICTIM ACTUALLY DIED FROM BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA AND SMOKE INHALATION. ARI HAIT EXPLAINS HOW A MAN SHOT IN PENNSYLVANIA MAY LEAD TO AN ARREST. HERE. THIS IS A CASE WITH A LOT OF TWISTS AND TURNS, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS VIOLENCE IN PHILADELPHIA MAY HAVE JUST ENDED THE SEARCH FOR A KILLER IN FORT PIERCE. WHEN POLICE IN PHILADELPHIA RESPONDED TO A SHOOTING SUNDAY, THEY FOUND A 32 YEAR OLD MAN UNCONSCIOUS. HE HAD BEEN SHOT AND STABBED MULTIPLE TIMES. HE’S CURRENTLY IN CRITICAL CONDITION, AND POLICE NOW SAY THAT VICTIM MAY ACTUALLY BE THE SUSPECT IN THIS CASE, AND HE MAY ALSO BE THE KEY TO SOLVING MULTIPLE OTHER CRIMES, INCLUDING A HOMICIDE HERE IN SOUTH FLORIDA. LET ME EXPLAIN THIS. THE MAN THEY FOUND HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS ARKELL GARCIA AT A NEWS CONFERENCE IN SAINT LUCIE COUNTY LAST MONTH. THE SHERIFF REFERRED TO GARCIA AS A PERSON OF INTEREST IN A NOVEMBER 28TH MURDER AT THIS HOME ON SOUTH MARKET AVENUE IN FORT PIERCE. INVESTIGATORS SAY ANTOINE DANIELS HAD BEEN BEATEN TO DEATH AND THEN HIS HOME HAD BEEN SET ON FIRE. AT THAT NEWS CONFERENCE, THE SHERIFF SAID. GARCIA WAS ALSO WANTED IN PHILADELPHIA IN CONNECTION WITH THE NOVEMBER 12TH MURDER OF A 68 YEAR OLD MAN. THE MAIN THING FOR OUR AGENCY AND FOR PHILADELPHIA RIGHT NOW IS TO GET THIS PERSON INTO CUSTODY. PHILADELPHIA POLICE SAY GARCIA HAD ALREADY BEEN IN CUSTODY YEARS AGO, SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE FOR KILLING A MAN IN 2015 OVER A PAIR OF HEADPHONES. HE WAS RELEASED FROM JAIL AFTER DETECTIVE ON THE CASE WAS CONVICTED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING MULTIPLE SUSPECTS DURING HIS CAREER. NOW, GARCIA IS IN A PHILADELPHIA HOSPITAL. THE PERSON ACCUSED OF SHOOTING AND STABBING HIM HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED. HE SAYS HE ONLY SHOT AND STABBED GARCIA AFTER GARCIA HAD SHOT SOMEBODY ELSE. THAT INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING, AND I TALKED TO THE SAINT LUCIE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. THEY TELL ME THEY ARE VERY AWARE OF WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING IN PHILADELPHIA. THEY TELL ME IF GARCIA’S CONDITION IMPROVES, THEY WILL TRAVEL TO PHILADELPHIA. THEY’D LIKE TO HAVE A WOR
Man linked to Fort Pierce arson and murder charged with murder in Philadelphia
Updated: 5:20 PM EST Jan 25, 2026
A man connected to an arson and homicide in St. Lucie County has been formally charged for murder in Philadelphia.The Philadelphia Police Department confirmed to WPBF 25 News that Arkel T. Garcia, 32, was charged with murder, robbery, burglary, criminal trespassing, theft by unlawful taking receiving stolen property, possession of an instrument of crime and reckless endangering another person.The charges come from a Nov. 12, 2025, homicide of a 68-year-olod man in Germantown, a neighborhood of Philadelphia.Garcia has been in Philadelphia police custody since Jan. 8.On Jan. 4, Garcia was involved in a shooting where he was accused of shooting at a person in the arm during an altercation. Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 NewsIn retaliation, another man shot and stabbed Garcia several times to protect others during a struggle over a gun.Garcia was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.Garcia is accused of beating Antoine Daniels to death and setting Daniels’ home on fire on South Market Street in Fort Pierce on Nov. 28, 2025.Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
A man connected to an arson and homicide in St. Lucie County has been formally charged for murder in Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Police Department confirmed to WPBF 25 News that Arkel T. Garcia, 32, was charged with murder, robbery, burglary, criminal trespassing, theft by unlawful taking receiving stolen property, possession of an instrument of crime and reckless endangering another person.
Pennsylvania Parole Board
Arkel T. Garcia
The charges come from a Nov. 12, 2025, homicide of a 68-year-olod man in Germantown, a neighborhood of Philadelphia.
Garcia has been in Philadelphia police custody since Jan. 8.
On Jan. 4, Garcia was involved in a shooting where he was accused of shooting at a person in the arm during an altercation.
Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News
In retaliation, another man shot and stabbed Garcia several times to protect others during a struggle over a gun.
Garcia was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.
Garcia is accused of beating Antoine Daniels to death and setting Daniels’ home on fire on South Market Street in Fort Pierce on Nov. 28, 2025.
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.