dmvpenn, you are firm in your opinions and you are privy to information I don't have. I base my opinion only on the fact that people do occasionaly drive into bodies of water while driving at night after drinking. The "hit man" on the streets of Philly senerio seems so unlikly. From what I know about South Street, parking is a little tough on Saturday night and there are lots of people milling about. A "hit man" whould have to know they were there. Who knew they were going to South Street ?(are any of the people they were with suspects?) Once this "hit man" knew where they would be, they (there would have to be two) would have to drive around looking for the parked truck. They would have no idea if it would be in a dark, isolated spot or a well lite street with lots of foot traffic. It seems like a poor plan. Too many unknowns. If they did find the truck in an appropreate spot, why not just shot them there and make it look like a random street crime. The abduction and disposal of the vehicle seems awful risky and unnecessary. I suppose the are wrecking yards somewhere that the right man with the right money could get a brand new truck crushed up no questions asked, but most exist in some writer's imagination. An alternative means of disposing of the truck is in a body of water. The best bets are gravel pits or piers. Otherwise its hard to get it into deep enough water, that is unless you are sitting in the drivers seat going full speed. Are there any places in the Philly area like that? Overall, it seems like a poorly planned, overly complicated "hit" without any big money motives.
I notice (on Google earth) that there are some wharf type structures on the Deleware River near South street. Is there any parking around them or any other reason for driving onto them? Out on a wharf, a wrong turn can land you in deep water real quick. Has anyone checked out the possibility?
The other possibility is that they did not return to New Jersey, but went somewhere else and had a mishap. They could have gone anywhere in Pa.
By the way, was there really a Grand Jury inquest? If there was, the transcript should be sealed but the witnesses called are generally public record. If you know the jurisdiction, it might even be available online.
The gran jury can be a good investigative tool, it can people who know something but haven't actually commited a crime in a position where they can eith say what they know or commit perjery. It can also be a fishing expedition that leads nowhere.
I do hope that the truth does come to light and you all fet some closure.