Authorities say Michael Petrino Jr. was lured into an ambush in Reading before two men took him from a secluded Berks County location.
READING, PA — A bounty had been placed on 23-year-old Michael Petrino Jr. before he was lured into an ambush in Reading and later taken away by two armed men, investigators say, marking a major development in the seven-month investigation into the Lebanon County man’s disappearance and presumed death.
Reading police and Berks County prosecutors say eight people have now been charged in connection with the March 25 disappearance. Luke Foxx, 21, and Josiah Vaux, 23, were arrested Oct. 22 and charged with second-degree murder, kidnapping and related offenses. Petrino’s remains have not been found, but Berks County District Attorney John Adams said investigators believe the evidence establishes that Petrino is dead and that his disappearance was not voluntary.
Petrino was reported missing by family members in western Lebanon County in late March. Investigators learned that he had been spending time in the Reading area before he vanished, and Reading police took the lead in the case. A Jeep Compass rented by Petrino was found abandoned in the 1200 block of Muhlenberg Street in Reading in the days after his disappearance and was processed for evidence.
Police say the events began during the early morning hours of March 25, when three juveniles allegedly brought Petrino to the area of North Second and Oley streets in Reading in his rented Jeep. Investigators said information gathered from several sources indicated that Petrino had conflicts with people in Berks County and that a bounty had been placed on him. Surveillance video showed the Jeep entering an alley, and investigators said digital evidence showed the juveniles communicating with three other people in a group chat and arranging a signal when the vehicle arrived.
After the signal was allegedly given, investigators say a Chevrolet sedan entered the alley and parked behind the Jeep. Police allege Petrino was assaulted, forced from the Jeep and placed into the Chevrolet. The three juveniles then allegedly left to abandon the rented Jeep and destroy Petrino’s cellphone. Investigators say Gerson Caicedo, Khalil Nein and Jazmeire Brockington then transported Petrino away from Reading. The six were charged earlier in the investigation with kidnapping or related offenses, and the juveniles were charged as adults.
Authorities said the group eventually traveled to the Birdsboro Preserve area, where investigators allege Foxx and Vaux arrived in another vehicle. Police say both men were armed and that Petrino was restrained before being placed in their vehicle. Foxx and Vaux then allegedly drove away with Petrino. Investigators say that was the last known time Petrino was seen alive. The allegations are contained in police statements and court records, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
At a news conference Oct. 26, Adams said investigators believe the kidnapping was connected to an alleged drug robbery. According to affidavits described by prosecutors, a witness told investigators Petrino had admitted stealing marijuana, THC cartridges and promethazine that authorities say were connected to Foxx and Vaux. Investigators allege Vaux later offered drugs and between $3,000 and $4,000 in exchange for having Petrino delivered to him. Adams said investigators determined that drugs were later provided as payment for the alleged bounty.
Investigators say cellphone records, surveillance video, vehicle information and witness accounts helped them reconstruct Petrino’s movements. Court records cited by prosecutors also indicate that the address for the Birdsboro Preserve location was entered into Vaux’s vehicle navigation system on the morning Petrino disappeared. License plate readers recorded vehicle movements in the area, authorities said. Investigators also reviewed communications involving Petrino and the defendants in the days before his disappearance.
Prosecutors say Petrino’s activity stopped after March 25. Investigators found no verified communications, social media activity or financial transactions after that date. He also missed a scheduled employment-related meeting, authorities said. His wallet and bank cards were found inside the abandoned Jeep. Search teams, including crews using dogs and other resources, searched areas identified through cellphone evidence but did not locate Petrino or his remains.
Adams said the absence of a body does not prevent prosecutors from pursuing homicide charges when other evidence supports them. He said investigators believe Foxx and Vaux took Petrino away during the kidnapping and that there is probable cause to conclude Petrino died. Second-degree murder under Pennsylvania law can apply when a death occurs during the commission of certain felonies, including kidnapping. Prosecutors have said the investigation remains open and the charges could change as additional evidence is developed.
Authorities said all eight people charged in connection with the case are in custody. Investigators continue searching for Petrino’s remains and have not ruled out additional arrests if evidence identifies other participants. Reading police continue to seek information about Petrino’s whereabouts as detectives work to determine what happened after he was taken from the Birdsboro area.
Author note: Last updated October 27, 2026.