Crime & Safety
Killed Food Delivery Driver's Accused Assailant Pleads Guilty: Feds
John Nusslein faces life in prison for beating a food delivery driver during a Philadelphia carjacking so badly that the driver later died.
PHILADELPHIA — A Philadelphia man admitted to the carjackings of food delivery drivers in 2021, one of which resulted in the death of a driver.
United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero said John Nusslein, 19, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of conspiracy to commit carjacking, one count of carjacking resulting in death, and one count of carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury.
Nusslein was charged by indictment in June 2022.
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The charges stemmed from a series of carjackings of food delivery drivers in Northeast Philadelphia during November and December 2021.
Authorities said Nusslein and others committed two carjackings that occurred between Nov. 29, 2021, and Dec. 29, 2021.
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On Dec. 2, 2021, Nusslein and two others placed a food delivery order to an address on the 3000 block of Teesdale Street in Philadelphia. This order was a ruse to lure their intended victim to that location. At about 7 p.m., when the delivery driver showed up to that location, Nusslein and two others approached the driver.
They beat the driver repeatedly before stealing his 2004 Toyota Camry. The three then drove off in the stolen vehicle.
The driver, only identified as "C.C." by federal authorities, was taken to a hospital, where he died on Dec. 21, 2021. The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the cause of death was the assault he sustained during the carjacking.
A similar ruse was perpetrated on Dec. 16, 2021, authorities said.
Nusslein and one of the other people involved in the Dec. 2, 2021 incident placed another fake food delivery order to an address on the 9000 block of Hilspach Street in Philadelphia.
The driver showed up at about 9:10 p.m.
Nusslein and the other person approached the driver, pointed a gun at him, demanded his money, and hit him before taking the driver's a 2015 Infiniti QX5. The two then drover off in the stolen vehicle.
Nusslein is set to be sentenced on July 31 and faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.
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