3 men convicted of murder in Harrowgate shooting that killed Olympic hopeful, wounded another

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — More than two years after the killing of an 18-year-old ice dancer and Olympics hopeful, three men involved in the robbery that led to his death have been convicted of murder.

On Nov. 6, 2021, 18-year-old Joshua Soto visited his friend Zbigniew Still, known as “Z,” in the Harrowgate section of the city. Officials say that although Still was a marijuana dealer, Soto was not a drug user — just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Three men — Joseph Cuevas, Luis Castillo and Anthony Sherman — arrived at Still’s home with the intent to rob Still of two guns he was known to have had, according to prosecutor Robert Wainwright.

“They kind of asked if they could smoke a little weed with Z,” Wainwright detailed. “They started that, they even brought some Hennessy with them as sort of a gift to make them think they were all on friendly terms.”

Wainwright says Still handed the two guns to Castillo. “It was at that point that Castillo took those two guns that belonged to Z, pointed them right back at Z, and basically announced a robbery,” he said.

At that point, Wainwright says Still lunged at Castillo. That’s when Cuevas pulled out his gun and shot Still three times, critically wounding him.
Soto was shot in the chest while watching television and later died.

Cuevas, 26, was found guilty of second-degree murder, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Castillo, also 26, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and was sentenced to 35-70 years behind bars. Sherman cooperated with investigators and pleaded guilty to third-degree murder.

The Soto family forgave the three men.

“We don’t hate them,” said Soto’s mother, Damaris Perez-Soto. “I just hope that whatever help is given to them while they are incarcerated, they’ll take it.”

His family wants to create scholarships in Soto’s name for young people who want to follow his athletic path. “One day through his legacy,” said his father, Jesus, “we’ll get a kid from Philly, let’s get them to the Olympics.”