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Death of Mayor Nutter's neighbor ruled homicide

A 76-year-old man who lived on Mayor Nutter's block was bludgeoned to death in his Wynnefield home sometime late last week, authorities said Monday.

A 76-year-old man who lived on Mayor Nutter's block was bludgeoned to death in his Wynnefield home sometime late last week, authorities said Monday.

Robert Lancaster was found dead Friday morning, lying in his bed on the second floor of his home on the 2300 block of North 50th Street, near St. Joseph's University.

Mayor Nutter has lived on that block since the fall of 1994.

Lancaster was found by his nephew, who called police. Despite trauma to Lancaster's head, his death was termed suspicious until an autopsy could be conducted.

His death was ruled a homicide Saturday, police said. Lancaster had suffered trauma to the left side of his head, and his face was covered with a pillow, police said. Lancaster lived alone and most of his relatives reside in North Carolina.

Through a spokesman, Nutter said he knew Lancaster merely "as a neighbor living down the street."

"He's certainly greatly saddened by the fact this man has been murdered," said Mark McDonald, Nutter's spokesman. "[He] fully expects that the Police Department will make an arrest."

Police did not have any information on suspects or possible motives on Monday, but Lancaster had been renovating his home and workers had been coming and going from the house frequently.

Detectives were seeking to question various contractors who had been working there.

Police would not say if anything had been stolen from the house, but neighbors said they noticed Lancaster's pickup was missing after his death. The truck was found near Lancaster's home.