City Man Charged in 2023 Kidnapping, Death of Philadelphia Man Abducted Outside His Home

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Tyheem Tyler, 34, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping resulting in death, and aiding and abetting.

The indictment alleges that on or about March 6, 2023, the defendant traveled to Wey Um’s place of business in Philadelphia and participated in a robbery of Wey Um at gunpoint.

The indictment further alleges that in the early hours of March 31, 2023, Tyler and his co-conspirators drove a Ford Explorer SUV to Wey Um’s Philadelphia home, kidnapped Wey Um from outside of his residence, and at approximately 2:12 a.m., drove Wey Um in the Ford Explorer to a location near the Delaware River in Philadelphia.

As alleged, Tyler knowingly, willfully, and unlawfully seized, confined, kidnapped, abducted, carried away, and held, and aided and abetted the unlawful seizing, confining, abduction, carrying away, and holding of, Wey Um, deceased, for ransom, reward, and otherwise, resulting in the death of Wey Um, and in committing and in furtherance of the commission of the offense used means, facilities, and instrumentalities of interstate commerce.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment or death.

The case was investigated by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell and Timothy Lanni.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.