Three teenagers in Florida have been arrested after authorities say they carried out “a vicious attack” on a 64-year-old homeless man who once worked in the World Trade Center and “narrowly escaped” the 9/11 attacks, according to court documents.
Marcavion Lacey, 19, Robert Pope, 17, and Justin Curry, 13, have all been charged with murder in connection with the Oct. 19 assault that left New York native and former World Trade Center consultant Roger Borkum mortally wounded, an arrest report from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office states.
Borkum, who had worked as a consultant on the 77th floor of Tower 1 until he was let go in July 2001 — just months before the Sept. 11 attacks — had been estranged from his family for 24 years at the time of his death.
“On Sunday, October 19, 2025, District 1 patrol officers responded to an aggravated battery and discovered Roger Borkum had been severely beaten,” the sheriff’s office said in a Friday press release. “He was taken to a local hospital where he died from his injuries four days later.”
According to the arrest report, officers found Borkum lying on the ground with a large amount of blood pooled around his head and “a blood trail extending down the sidewalk.” Surveillance footage allegedly shows three teens approaching Borkum shortly before the beating.
“They crouched down, as though they were sneaking up on the victim,” a law enforcement officer wrote in the report. “I observed all three suspects kick and stomp on the victim. After battering the victim, the suspects fled the crime scene.”
Around the same time, a nearby robbery was also reported. Investigators believe the same group committed that crime as well. A witness later came forward, told police they saw Borkum being attacked, and said they could identify the assailants. Using that description, authorities tracked down the teens and took them into custody, according to the report.
“Post Miranda, Marcavion Lacey advised there was a white dude ‘laying’ and he said something to [one of the suspects],” the report states. “He said [one of the suspects] stopped walking and began questioning the victim. While [the suspect] was interacting with the victim, Lacey observed the victim fall on the ground.”
Lacey allegedly told investigators that he and the others “weren’t trying to kill the victim.” Another teen said Borkum had “dissed” his “dead homies,” though he was unable to provide any names.
Surveillance video allegedly shows the group rummaging through a backpack Borkum had with him after the initial attack, then fleeing. About 20 minutes later, they returned and allegedly assaulted him again, delivering “multiple” kicks, the report says.
“This case is a heartbreaking reminder of how young some offenders have become and how devastating the consequences are for victims, families, and the surrounding community,” the sheriff’s office said in its statement.
“JSO will continue to work closely with the state to get justice for Mr. Borkum,” the office added. “Parents and guardians, get involved in your children’s lives. There are resources available for kids to keep them out of trouble. Take action before it’s too late.”
According to his obituary, Borkum had once been married before becoming homeless, and his wife died while on a humanitarian trip to Africa. The obituary notes that he “narrowly escaped death … in late July 2001,” referencing his departure from his World Trade Center job, and adds that his coworkers later perished in the Sept. 11 attacks.
Police said Curry was only 12 years old at the time of the assault, while Pope was 16. As of Sunday, all three suspects remained in custody.
