Stepson Sentenced For Brutal Killing

The stepson of a veteran and former corrections officer killed in his Bristol Township home in 2022 pleaded guilty Friday to the man’s death.

Brian Joseph Carey, 42, formerly of Bensalem Township and Philadelphia, entered a guilty plea on Friday to third-degree murder, robbery, stalking, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and two counts of theft by unlawful taking and four counts of possession of an instrument of crime before Bucks County Court of Common Pleas Judge Wallace Bateman.

Following his plea, Carey was sentenced by Bateman to 35 to 70 years in a state correctional institution, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.

The victim, 78-year-old Joseph “Dutch” Jakimowicz, was found deceased in his home on Winder Drive in 2022.

Jakimowicz was remembered by family and friends in court on Friday as a “beacon of hope” and a “guiding light,” with some paying tribute to his fatherly presence and his capacity to bring joy to those around him.

In stark contrast, Carey was described as a “monster” by grieving relatives, who implored the court to impose the maximum sentence for the killing of Jakimowicz, who had provided Carey with a home during his times of need.

The likely motive behind the brutal murder was a dispute over Carey’s mother’s inheritance, which Carey believed was rightfully his.

First Assistant District Attorney Edward Louka presented in court that Carey claimed in a jailhouse phone call that he was the “real victim” in the case due to losing out on money. The prosecutor told the court that Carey showed no remorse for the killing.

Ahead of Friday’s court date, Carey submitted a lengthy letter that Louka said was “26 pages of justifying his actions.”

Court documents detailed the discovery of Jakimowicz by one of his children, who found him in a pool of blood on February 15, 2022, after the victim failed to show for a scheduled service of his Chevrolet Trailblazer.

The Bucks County Coroner’s Office found that Jakimowicz succumbed to multiple injuries. His death was classified as a homicide.

Louka said Jakimowicz had 10 stab wounds, including one that went seven inches into his chest, and defensive wounds to his arms.

The investigation revealed ongoing issues between Jakimowicz and his estranged stepson, including threatening messages that had led the victim to secure his home, authorities said.

Surveillance footage showed Carey on February 14 getting off a SEPTA bus at Veterans Highway (Route 413) and Winder Drive and walking to the victim’s home.

Detectives said the footage further showed the person, who was later identified as Carey, entering his stepfather’s home at 2:18 p.m. and leaving in Jakimowicz’s 2006 Chevy Trailblazer at 2:39 p.m.

Police in Bristol Township and around the region launched a search for Carey following the death so they could question him.

The Trailblazer was found unoccupied in Philadelphia and Carey was later located by state police at a bar in Upper Buck County.

Carey had five knives of varying sizes and a large sum of cash with him when he was arrested, authorities said.

After his arrest, police tested blood on Carey’s clothes was run through Bensalem Police Department’s local DNA database and found to be a match for Jakimowicz, authorities revealed.

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