Philadelphia Police say three people killed a Northeast Philadelphia man, chopped up his body and tossed it into the Schuylkill River after a botched robbery.

Keith Tolbert, Angel Weston and Stephenie Foulke were charged Thursday with the murder of Frank Zarzycki, police said.

Zarzycki's torso was found by fishermen near the 1300 block of Schuylkill Avenue in the Grays Ferry section of Philadelphia around 8 a.m. Tuesday morning. The 40-year-old's head, arms and legs had been chopped off and were missing.

Using a distinctive tattoo on Zarzycki's upper back, investigators on Wednesday were able to identify the man who had been reported missing by family a week before.

Philadelphia Police Homicide Unit Capt. James Clark said Zarzycki, who lived in the Somerton section of the city, went to Apartment 26 inside 220 South 11th Street last Monday, August 26 to have sex with prostitutes.

The man allegedly began an act with Weston, 21, and Foulke, 22, in the apartment's living room when Tolbert, 34, came in to rob Zarzycki.

During the struggle, Zarzycki was beaten, tasered and then suffocated. He died as a result of the fight.

Capt. Clark said investigators believe the trio panicked and dragged the man's lifeless body to the bathroom. There, Tolbert allegedly used a hatchet to dismember Zarzycki.

His torso was then placed into a bag and thrown into the river, police said.

Investigators are still searching for Zarzycki's other body parts and are leaning on the suspects to share where and how they were disposed.

"We're still talking to them," Capt. Clark said of the suspects. "We have detectives back out at the scene. We will probably still have the Marine Unit go back out to certain locations along the river. The investigation is still on going."

The trio were arrested on Saturday, before Zarzycki's body was found, after the department's Vice Unit held a sting at the apartment. The housing unit is listed in Tolbert's name.

Capt. Clark said the home was a known prostitution spot and that phone and computer records showed the victim had frequented the place.

"My understanding is he had been there before and obviously he wasn't robbed, but for whatever reason, this time they chose to rob him and it escalated to him being killed," Capt. Clark said.

Neighbors who live in the apartment building tell NBC10.com they saw plain clothed officers visit the same apartment last week and arrest a man and woman for alleged prostitution.

Since then, a police officer had been guarding the apartment, neighbors say. Investigators then came back to apartment on Wednesday to collect evidence.

Capt. Clark said crime scene investigators were back out at the apartment on Thursday to search for additional evidence.

NBC10 visited Zarzycki's family in Northeast Philadelphia on Thursday, but they did not want to speak with the media.

Tolbert, Weston and Foulke have been charged with murder, robbery and related offenses and all, police say, have criminal histories.

Keith Tolbert (L) and Angel Weston (R) pictured. A mugshot for Stephenie Foulke was not available.

Frank Zarzycki pictured in this undated photo.

Contact Vince Lattanzio at 610.668.5532, vince.lattanzio@nbcuni.com or follow @VinceLattanzio on Twitter.

One of the most important parts of planning a wedding for most brides is choosing the perfect dress. This weekend a national non-profit organization hopes to make that easy by offering Philadelphia-area brides-to-be a chance to choose from hundreds of designer wedding dresses for a fraction of the cost and help a good cause at the same time.

Starting this Friday and Saturday, brides-to-be can browse through 1,000 designer and gently worn gowns when Brides Against Breast Cancer charity wedding gown sale and bridal show comes to Philadelphia’s Le Meridian Hotel at 1421 Arch Street.

"A program like this is so important. The average bride is 26 and she is not even thinking about cancer. One of the largest factors in breast cancer diagnosis is age," said Senior Vice President Amy Paulishak.

"Most women who are diagnosed with breast cancer are over 45 and 50, so for us, this is a great opportunity to reach out to these young girls and give them information and provide resources if they know someone impacted by cancer."

All of the gowns are available in size 4 to 18 and are discounted on average 50 percent. They range from $75 to about $799 with designer gowns valued up to $4,000. For brides on a budget there is layaway. All dresses will include an 8% sales tax. Dressing rooms are available and there will be a seamstress on site to provide consultation.

If you’ve already said, "I do," you can donate your gown at the show to receive a tax deduction.

In 2012, the Florida-based nonprofit donated 71 cents from every dollar raised during the 40-city  traveling bridal show to free programs and services including nutrition and education classes, and Pilates, tai chi and yoga, among other programs for people affected by cancer, according to The Giving Partner charity navigator. This year they are donating 80 cents per dollar from each sale.

Kathy Omara, business manager for the Cancer Support Community of Philadelphia on Chamounix Drive in Fairmount Park, said they received $1,000 from the organization last year. She said they were able to offer those services to both patients and their caregivers.

“Even $1,000 goes a long way to help people because we solely depend on fundraising to be able offer all of our programs free of charge,” said Omara. "It makes such a difference in the lives of people who need the help knowing that they won't have to pay anything."

The program also helps patients network, provides transportation to and from treatment and distributes over 10,000 breast “self-exam” cards each year. Last year the organization raised $2 million and hope to double that amount this year.

"Sometimes counseling can cost up to $58 per hour and when you are talking about providing services to 100,000 people per year it can add up," said Paulishak. "The reality is that more and more people are getting cancer. These programs allow patients to take an active role in their recovery."

This is the second time the group has come to Philadelphia this year.

Friday’s VIP “Unveiling of the Gowns” reception from 6 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. is already sold out. Tickets for general admission on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. are still available. For more information click here.

Contact Danielle Johnson at 610.668.5705, Danielle.Johnson@nbcuni.com

NBC10 Philadelphia announces that Tedd Florendo will be joining the station as a weekend meteorologist starting this weekend.

Florendo joins NBC10 from CBS affiliate KLAS in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he has been a meteorologist, reporter and anchor since 2004.

Florendo was the 2007 recipient of the Nevada Broadcasters Electronic Media Award for Best Weathercaster, and received an Emmy in 2005 for Best Weekend Newscast.

Before KLAS, Florendo was meteorologist at multiple stations, including WFRV in Green Bay, Wisconsin, KAPP in Yakima, Washington and KVEW in Kennewick, Washington.

“Tedd has great meteorology skills, paired with a positive energy and style that our viewers will appreciate,” said Anzio Williams, Vice President of News for NBC10.

Florendo, a native of Seattle, Washington, began his career in broadcast journalism in his hometown as an assignment editor at KOMO. He holds a degree in broadcast journalism from Washington State University and a certification of meteorology from Mississippi State University.

He will be relocating to Philadelphia with his daughter and wife Jennifer, a Pennsylvania native.

The deadline for property tax relief, also known as the Homestead Exemption, is just around the corner. 

Philadelphia homeowners have until Sept. 13 to submit their exemption application. 

As of August 30, 207,000 people enrolled into the Homestead Rebate program, according to Kate Dreher of the Office of Property Assessment (OPA).

Based on city data, the OPA believes there are approximately 320,000 to 340,000 homeowners eligible for the program. That’s about 60 percent of likely homeowners who’ve applied for the program thus far.

"That's pretty good for a new government program," said Dreher. "But, there are more eligible homeowners. If you don't take advantage, you leave money on the table."

The Homestead Exemption reduces the taxable portion of a Philadelphia property assessment by $30,000, resulting in a savings up to $402 on real estate taxes for the 2014 tax year.

If you own your home and live in it as your primary residence you're eligible for the exemption. There are no other requirements.

Households received notice of the Homestead Exemption in February, at the same time they received their new property tax assessments.

The OPA has worked to simplify its message. The goal is to let residents know the process of applying is easy. Homeowners can call the Homestead Hotline at 215-686-9200 and even apply over the phone or online. The city plans to continue its outreach to inform homeowners of the savings via radio ads, SEPTA ads, fliers and at community meetings.

A City of Philadelphia Telephone Town Hall is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 6:45 p.m. with representatives from the departments of finance, revenue and OPA. Participants may ask questions live and pre-register here. 

"We'd like to have more people enrolled in the program, but many may be waiting until the last minute," said Dreher.

Philadelphia Police are trying to track down the man who maced, beat and robbed an 82-year-old man in Northeast Philadelphia.

Investigators say just before 10:00 a.m. on September 3, the elderly man was walking on the 5100 block of Griscom Street near Dyre Street.

Surveillance video shows the suspect approaching the man. Police say the suspect sprayed the man with mace and then started kicking and punching him until he fell to the ground.

The suspect took the elderly man's money and then walked away towards the 5100 block of Frankford Avenue.

Police say if you spot the suspect in this video, call 911 immediately.

MORE NEWS:

• Man's Body Dismembered After Botched Robbery: Police
• Boy, 14, Killed in Newark, Is City's 10th Homicide in 10 Days
• Man Wrongly Convicted of Murder Sues
• Resentencing Delay Sought in Pa. Hitchhiker Murder

The driver of a car that slammed into the side of a house is injured in the Bucks County crash.

Skyforce10 flew over the scene on the 200 block of Upper Holland Road in Richboro.

Authorities say medics removed the 45-year-old driver from the car. He suffered minor injuries.

A woman and child were inside the home at the time of the crash but police say they were on the second floor and were not injured.

Police are still investigating what caused that driver to crash into the house.

MORE NEWS:

• Man's Body Dismembered After Botched Robbery: Police
• Boy, 14, Killed in Newark, Is City's 10th Homicide in 10 Days
• Man Wrongly Convicted of Murder Sues
• Resentencing Delay Sought in Pa. Hitchhiker Murder

A 19-year-old man playing with a remote control helicopter in Brooklyn lost control of it, sliced off the top of his own head and died Thursday afternoon, law enforcement officials said. 

The helicopter enthusiast, identified by officials as Roman Pirozek Jr., and his father were in Calvert Vaux Park at Shore Parkway and Bay 44th Street in Gravesend.

Pirozek also sheared off part of his shoulder, officials said.

Witnesses told detectives Pirozek was performing a trick with the model helicopter when something went wrong, according to law enforcement officials.

The model helicopter was worth about $2,000.

Sources said friends of the victim told investigators he often performed risky tricks with model helicopters.

Pirozek's neighbors in Woodhaven, Queens said he worked at Kennedy Airport and was a quiet but "really good kid." They said he and his father flew model helicopters almost every weekend.

Pirozek's social media accounts were filled with references to his hobby of flying remote control helicopters. On Aug. 25, he wrote on his Facebook page, "Great day for flying, the new frame brace is working great, breaking in some new packs I just got, they are the best that I have flown so far and loving them." 

Pirozek graduated in 2012 from the High School for Construction, Engineering and Architecture in Queens, according to his Facebook page. 

-- Brynn Gingras contributed to this report.

A baby bison is the new star attraction at the Cape May County Zoo.

The little lady was born on August 29, but her birth was just announced today. This is the first bison calf to be born at this zoo.

Her parents, "Henrietta" and "Hank" both came from Six Flags Great Adventure and arrived at the Cape May County Zoo in 2010.

The baby's name hasn't yet been released.

Visitors can stop by to see this new addition in the North American Prairie exhibit at the zoo, located on Route 9 North in Cape May Courthouse.

MORE NEWS:

• National Zoo Reveals Baby Panda
• Baby Sea Lion Debuts at Bronx Zoo
• PHOTOS: Adorable Zoo Babies
• Zoo's Giant Panda Cuddles Cub Rather Than Snacking

Back-to-school time can be a busy and frantic time for parents and that's exactly why some cyber criminals use this time to strike.

"It's a classic phishing scheme," says Robert D'Ovidio, a cyber crime expert from Drexel University.

NBC10 showed D'Ovidio an email being sent out to parents, asking them to pay 85 cents per child to help fight obesity in schools.

The email references the national company "EZSchool-Pay," a site that some parents use to pay their child's school fees. But the email asks them to make the payment to "EZSchool-Online."

While it might seem like a small amount of money to pay, experts say it's not that money these criminals are after.

"It's the information that they're asking for, that you're providing, the social security number and the credit card number," says D'Ovidio.

The criminals can then use that personal information to steal your identity.

NBC10 contacted the legitimate company "EZSchool-Pay," a Canadian-based firm. The company says they've received complaints from California, Maryland, New York and our area.

The phishing site located in China was shut down, but experts say that doesn't mean you can let your guard down.

"These sites are taken down quickly and then re-appear on a different server targeting different school districts and that's how they survive," says D'Ovidio.

Cyber crime experts say to protect yourself, be sure to carefully read any email you receive and you can also turn on your phishing filter on your computer to make sure you don't get these types of emails.

A woman dies after getting hit by an ice cream truck this afternoon in Allentown, Lehigh County.

Skyforce10 flew over the scene at 18th and Tilghman Streets, where that 42-year-old woman was hit just after 4:00 p.m.

Police say the driver of the "Jack & Jill" truck stayed on the scene and dialed 911 after the accident.

The woman's identity isn't being released until family members are notified.

The Lehigh County Coroner's Office and Allentown Police Department are investigating the accident.

MORE NEWS:

• Man's Body Dismembered After Botched Robbery: Police
• Boy, 14, Killed in Newark, Is City's 10th Homicide in 10 Days
• Man Wrongly Convicted of Murder Sues
• Resentencing Delay Sought in Pa. Hitchhiker Murder
   

Crews found a man's body in the Delaware River this morning hours after he jumped in but never surfaced overnight.

The U.S. Coast Guard said the search began for the man after his girlfriend alerted Delaware County police that 23-year-old Robert Miller went missing after going into the water by the Golden Point Marina & Yacht Club at 1 Jansen Ave. in Essington, Pa.

The yacht club is a short distance west of Philadelphia International Airport

The girlfriend told authorities that Miller, who hailed from Glen Mills, jumped into the river around 3:30 a.m., went under a dock and never resurfaced. Miller had on jeans, a black T-shirt and work boots when he jumped in, according to searchers.

A 25-foot U.S. Coast Guard response boat could be seen searching the river early Sunday. Local police and fire search and dive teams also joined the search as low tide occurred, according to the Coast Guard.

Around 11 a.m. crews found Miller's body about 75 feet upriver from the yacht club.

No reason was given as to why the man jumped into the river during season-ending ceremonies at the yacht club.

A shooting in front of an area takeout restaurant left a 16-year-old boy fighting for his life this morning.

Someone shot the boy multiple times just after midnight outside the North Garden Chinese takeout on the 5600 block of Blakemore Street in Philadelphia’s East Germantown neighborhood.

After being hit in the back, leg and twice in the stomach, the boy stumbled into the takeout in a semi-conscious state, according to investigators.

Police rushed the teen to Einstein Hospital. The yet-to-be-identified boy remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition Sunday afternoon after doctors performed emergency surgery, according to Northwest Detectives.

Investigators gave no motive for the shooting.

The investigation into the shooting continues. Bullet casings could be seen littering the ground inside and outside the store.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Philadelphia Police.

A man walked up to a group of people and shot two of them soon after they left a popular Manayunk bar overnight.

And one of the victims tells the Philadelphia Police that he doesn’t know why the man opened fire.

The men left the Grape Room on Grape Street and were walking along the 4300 block of Cresson Street -- that’s under the elevated train tracks -- when an armed man in a red sweat suit attacked them.

Investigators say that three bullets caught a 35-year-old man in the chest. He was rushed to Roxborough Hospital then transferred to Temple University Hospital in critical condition. His 36-year-old friend was hit in the arm and hand and taken to Temple Hospital in stable condition.

After the shooting the suspect fled.

The unidentified 36-year-old victim told investigators that he didn’t know why the suspect opened fire, according to Philadelphia Police.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Philadelphia Police.

Facing a 15.5 game deficit in the Wild Card, and a 21.5 game deficit in the division, there isn't much to look forward to over the month of September, as it would take nothing short of a miracle for the Phillies to make the playoffs. As a result, fans should really be hoping that the Phillies lose as many games as possible, as they will be jockeying for a better position in the 2014 draft.

That said, that doesn't mean that it isn't awfully fun when the Phillies put together a winning streak, especially if it's against the division rival Atlanta Braves. And that's exactly what the Phillies did this weekend, when they swept the Braves in a three-game set in Philadelphia, where they utilized many of the tools that will (hopefully) make them contenders in 2014.

First, the pitching. The Braves had the misfortune of drawing both Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels in the three-game set, which is bad news for any team during a short series. Predictably, both Aces did a number on the Braves, as Lee struck out ten and allowed a run over eight innings, while Hamels allowed two runs over eight in a nine strikeout performance. For good measure, Kyle Kendrick struck out eight and allowed three runs in his six innings of work on Saturday.

While the starting pitching was a strength for the Phillies over the weekend, I'd be remiss if I didn't comment on the bang-up job by the bullpen. Aside from a blown save by Jonathan Papelbon on Saturday (the Phillies would win in the bottom half of the inning), the bullpen was sound as ever, as youngsters Justin De Fratus, Jake Diekman, and BJ Rosenberg (who earned his first career save on Sunday) combined for three scoreless innings of work to go along with five strikeouts. The trio will more than likely play a big factor in the 2014 bullpen, so their performance over the weekend may very well be a peek at things to come.

From the offensive side of things, the younger Phillies took care of business against the Braves. On Friday night, Cody Asche's seventh inning home run was the difference in the game. It was his fourth home run of the season, and through 31 games, the 23-year-old has a .276/.327/.467 line.

On Saturday night, veteran Carlos Ruiz led the way early on, but it was Freddy Galvis' walk-off home run (his fifth homer of the season) that led the Phillies to the win.

On Sunday afternoon, the offense didn't need to do too much to support Cole Hamels, but Darin Ruf's eight-inning home run (his 13th of the season) was the difference maker in the 3-2 win to complete the sweep over the Braves.

Ultimately, this weekend doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things this season, but looking forward, it's nice to see the young Phillies coming through in the clutch.

State police say a motorcyclist has been killed after being ejected from his bike on the New Jersey Turnpike near Newark.

The man died around 6 p.m. Sunday. His name has been withheld pending notification of his family,

State police spokesman Sgt. Adam Grossman tells The Star-Ledger of Newark that the motorcyclist was riding from the turnpike onto the Newark Bay extension, part of route 78, when he was thrown from the bike.

He fell onto some train tracks beneath the highway and died a short time later.

Also on NBC10.com:

Man Found Dead in North Philly Speakeasy

Men Shot After Leaving Manayunk Bar

Man Crashes Car After Suffering Heart Attack

A man is fighting for his life after police say he suffered a heart attack, causing him to crash his car.

Police say an unidentified man was driving a 2003 Chevrolet impala around 5:45 p.m. southbound on Broad Street near Pattison Avenue.

As the man was driving, police say he lost control of his vehicle and crossed over four lanes before going up a curb and striking a tree in the center median. The vehicle continued to travel on the grass until it struck a second tree and came to a stop.

The man was removed from the vehicle and responding medics performed CPR on him. He was then taken to Jefferson Hospital where he is being treated for head trauma. Investigators suspect he suffered a heart attack while driving which caused him to lose control of his vehicle. He is currently in critical condition.

Stay with NBC10.com for more details on this developing story.

Also on NBC10.com:

Man Kills Teenage Girlfriend, Burns Her Body: Police

Men Shot After Leaving Manayunk Bar

NBC10 Helps Police ID Missing Woman

Police are investigating the death of a man found inside a North Philadelphia speakeasy.

The unidentified man was found inside the entrance of a speakeasy on the 3300 block of North 5th Street Sunday afternoon with wounds to his chest and back. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:05 p.m.

The man’s death has been ruled a homicide however, a murder weapon has not yet been recovered. Police are trying to determine whether the man was shot or stabbed to death.

Police have not yet released information on any suspects. If you have any information on the man’s death, please call Philadelphia Police.

Also on NBC10.com:

• Man Crashes Car After Suffering Heart Attack
• Men Shot After Leaving Manayunk Bar
• NBC10 Helps Police ID Missing Woman

A popular South Jersey eatery was boarded up this morning after going up in flames overnight.

Firefighters responded to the Golden Dawn Diner on Route 38 near the intersection with Route 73 in Maple Shade, N.J. just after closing around 11:15 p.m. Sunday.

"I pulled up, they had heavy fire already coming through the roof of the rear of the building and a lot of smoke," said Maple Shade Township Fire Department Chief Elwood Severns.

It took more than 60 firefighters about 45 minutes to bring the fire under control.

Authorities say no one was injured in the fire.

The dining room inside had extensive damage and the windows were boarded up by early Monday morning.

Fire marshals from Burlington County and Maple Shade were investigating the cause of the blaze.

The diner has sat along Route 38 in Burlington County for more than 30 years. The eatery didn't open as normal at 6 a.m. for people looking to grab their normal cup of coffee or breakfast.

Co-owning families, the Photious and Romanos, posted a message to Facebook "with heavy hearts:"

"A fire last night at the Golden Dawn has forced us to close our doors. Words cannot express the amount of gratitude we feel toward you & your years of patronage & loyalty. We have shared many good times & memories & we hope to be back soon."

"I kept thinking like, 'what was my last meal at the diner' because we grew up here so it was just a really huge part of our lives," said Popie Photiou, whose parents own the restaurant.

More than a week after a massive fire burned down a South Jersey food warehouse, firefighters continued to battle flames coming from the rubble.

Firefighters returned to the scene Sunday morning to hose down parts of the smoldering structure at the Dietz & Watson cold storage facility on Cooperstown Road in Delanco, Burlington County, N.J., according to county dispatchers.

Firefighters on the scene tell NBC10 that 4- to 5-foot flames and smoke coming from the rubble was normal. They were letting the fire entirely burn itself out while hosing down hot spots. The major concern going forward is keeping down any possible embers.

“We have about five or six hot spots, a lot of them are underneath the collapsed roof that we can’t get to,” said Delanco Fire Chief Ron Holt.

Holt says that besides him and other firefighters, security guards at the facility are keeping an eye out for any flare ups.

The news of the smoldering blaze comes two days after some rubbish at the site caught fire on Friday.

Both of these incidents paled in comparison to the original blaze.

Last Sunday's fire caused the roof, lined with thousands of solar panels, to collapse within hours. Thick, black smoke could be seen billowing from the facility miles away.

More than 200 firefighters from Burlington, Mercer, Gloucester, Camden and Atlantic Counties were brought to the distribution center, which is about 300,000 square feet -- roughly the size of five football fields.

By Monday morning, the blaze continued to burn as water issues, the threat of electrocution and other factors hindered firefighting efforts. While fire officials were finally able to contain the blaze early Monday evening, they also said it would likely continue to smolder for days. A week later some smoldering remained.