A 32-year-old Florida man who police believe committed a murder in Miami Beach in April has been taken into custody in New York. The man is alleged to have used a sword to take the life of a 77-year-old man. Police have not revealed a possible motive for the crime, but they do say the man may have worked for a short time as the victim’s caregiver.
Officers from the New York City Police Department and the New York City Transit Police apprehended the man as he exited a subway train in Manhattan on the morning of May 5. Reports reveal that police in Florida distributed the man’s photograph to law enforcement in New York after learning that he had fled Florida and might be heading to the city. According to media reports, the man resisted arrest and faces an additional charge for assaulting a police officer.
The body of the victim was discovered after his neighbors called police to report a foul odor on April 30. Forensic specialists believe that the man may have been killed 10 days earlier. Initial reports do not indicate what led police to consider the man a suspect, but they do reveal that he was also being sought by federal authorities for failing to register as a sexual offender.
Criminal suspects who attempt to elude law enforcement are rarely successful and usually end up facing additional charges. Attempts to flee might also make it more difficult for experienced Orlando, Florida, murder and violent charges attorneys to negotiate favorable plea terms. Attorneys may instead advise suspects to be polite to police officers and comply with their orders but to make no statements or admissions before speaking with a lawyer.
Source: Gothamist, Florida Man Accused Of Killing Miami Senior With Sword Arrested On The L Train, Claire Lampen, May 7, 2019