HARRISBURG, Pa. — A quiet Wednesday morning in Harrisburg turned into heartbreak for family and neighbors when 58‑year‑old Terence Dudley was found dead inside a home on the first block of North 18th Street. Police were called just before 11 a.m. on January 28, and what they discovered shook the local neighborhood.
Officers entering the house located Dudley unresponsive, and the Dauphin County Coroner later confirmed he had been shot in the chest. The manner of his death has been ruled a homicide, authorities said late Thursday as the investigation continues.
Friends and people who knew Dudley describe him as a familiar face in the community, someone who was steady and kind. The news of his violent death has left an unmistakable void, with many struggling to understand how such a tragedy unfolded in a place where neighbors used to greet each other by name.
Harrisburg Bureau of Police officials say the investigation is “very active,” but so far no arrests have been made. Detectives are urging anyone with information about what happened that morning to come forward. Tips can be shared by phone or through the department’s online CrimeWatch portal.
Dudley lived in nearby Lower Paxton Township, and relatives have begun gathering, remembering his laugh, his generosity, and the small ways he made life a little better for those around him. Many say the shock of waking up to news of his death is still sinking in.
At the scene, neighbors lit candles and left flowers near the front steps of the North 18th Street house. People spoke quietly, some in tears, as they recalled moments shared with Dudley — a man now gone far too soon.
For now, the Harrisburg community waits for answers. Police continue to piece together the events that led to this shooting. Loved ones of Terence Dudley are holding onto memories, leaning on each other for strength, and hoping that someone with knowledge of the incident will speak up.
