World Trade Center worker who narrowly escaped 9/11 is beaten to death by three teenagers, cops say
A former worker at the World Trade Center who narrowly escaped the atrocities of 9/11 was beaten to death by a group of teenagers, police said.
Roger Borkum, 64, was found severely injured on October 19 in the downtown area of Jacksonville, Florida.
According to arrest report seen by the Daily Mail, Borkum, who was homeless at the time, was attacked by three teenagers on three separate occasions that night.
After the third violent attack, the teens are accused of fleeing the scene on foot with Borkum being found by a witness, he died four days later from his injuries.
Marcavion Lacey, 19, Robert Pope, 16, and Justin Curry, 13, have all been charged with his murder. According to the report Curry was 12 at the time of Borkum's death.
An obituary for Borkum, who is originally from Long Island, New York, said he worked on the 77th floor of tower one in a consulting position.
It said he 'narrowly escaped death' after his job ended in July 2001, as all of his colleagues died in the attacks on the World Trade Center that September.
According to the report, Borkum was found with a 'large amount of blood pooled near his head, with blood also trailing the sidewalk' last month.
Roger Borkum, 64, was found severely injured on October 19 in the downtown area of Jacksonville, Florida
Borkum was allegedly attacked by three teenagers on three separate occasions that night. The oldest was 19-year-old Marcavion Lacey (pictured)
Robert Pope, 16, was another one of Borkum's alleged assailants. He and the other two teens were charged with Borkum's murder
The youngest of Borkum's alleged attackers was Justin Curry, 13. He was just 12 years old at the time of the savage beating
The report said that his attackers were spotted 'rummaging' through his backpack at one time.
One of the suspects is said to have blamed the attack on Borkum, claiming he 'dissed' their 'dead homies.'
The report also added that Borkum's death was ruled to have been from blunt force trauma.
His sister Deborah told the Florida Times-Union: 'Although we don't know what transpired in Roger's life that caused him to be homeless, we'll always remember him to be a man of integrity and a great work ethic.
'He was a soft spoken man who cared for everyone he ever met. He is missed greatly.'
An online obituary said that Borkum lost his wife Celeste in 2009 while on a humanitarian visit to Africa, without giving further details.
In a statement, the State Attorney's Office said: 'The juvenile justice system is neither designed nor equipped to handle offenders or offenses of this magnitude.
'In Juvenile Court, the State must relinquish its authority to the Department of Juvenile Justice, where the available sanctions fall far short of those permitted in Circuit Court - and far short of what is necessary for this crime.
'By handling this case in Circuit Court, we ensure that it receives the level of accountability, supervision, and judicial oversight that the facts and law demand.'
One of the suspects is said to have blamed the attack on Borkum, claiming he 'dissed' their 'dead homies'
Borkum's sister, Deborah, said: 'We'll always remember him to be a man of integrity and a great work ethic'
In a statement, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said: 'On Sunday, October 19, 2025, District 1 patrol officers responded to an aggravated battery and discovered Roger Borkum had been severely beaten.
'He was taken to a local hospital where he died from his injuries four days later.
'A witness who saw the attack provided officers with descriptions of the three young suspects, allowing police to locate them within hours.
'Following a thorough investigation by JSO's Homicide Unit detectives, in partnership with the State Attorney’s Office, the suspects were identified as 13-year-old Justin Curry, 16-year-old Robert Pope, and 19-year-old Marcavion Lacey. Curry was just 12 years old the night of the attack.
'Pope and Lacey were arrested shortly after Borkum’s death. On Thursday, November 20, 2025, a Duval County grand jury indicted Curry. All three teens are charged with murder.'
