The suspect arrested by police in a series of stabbings, one of them deadly, targeting homeless men sleeping outdoors— including an attack at an Upper East Side park— has now been indicted by a grand jury on a number of charges in two of the violent attacks. A judge has also ordered that Trevon Murphy receive a mental evaluation.
Prosecutors say Murphy gave a full confession in the stabbings, revealing gruesome details to investigators, who say Murphy told them he knifed the men in the same spot in their stomach each time, calling it “stabber’s choice.”
Murphy specifically bought a serrated knife for the stabbings, prosecutors say, because it “would drag pieces of intestine out with it.”
“These chilling attacks were committed against some of our most vulnerable community members,” said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
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“It is unbelievably tragic that someone lost their life simply because they did not have the safety that comes with a roof over their head.”
The stabbing rampage started just after 3:00 am on Tuesday, July 5th, when investigators say Murphy, who is also homeless, plunged the serrated knife into the stomach of a man sleeping on a bench in Hudson River Park in the West Village. The 34-year-old victim died of his injuries.
Three days later, on July 8th around 11:00 pm, Murphy is accused of stabbing another a 59-year-old homeless man as he slept near East 49th Street and Madison Avenue in Midtown.
Prosecutors announced Tuesday that a grand jury indicted Murphy on charges of murder, attempted murder and assault in the first two attacks, however, he has not yet been indicted in the Upper East Side stabbing on July 11th.
In that attack, a 28-year-old man was knifed in the stomach while sleeping at the Stanley Isaacs Playground on First Avenue between East 95th and 97th Streets.
“Nobody should face violence when they face the extraordinarily painful and difficult experience of being unhoused, and we will pursue full accountability and justice in this case,” said DA Bragg.
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Murphy was arrested in Harlem on July 13th after being recognized by a Good Samaritan who called 911 when he saw the suspect sitting at a bus stop.
On Tuesday, the judge in the case ordered Trevon Murphy undergo a mental evaluation, at the request of his attorney, to determine if he is fit to stand trial.
Mr. Murphy has pleaded not guilty and is due back in court in November.
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How are Citibikes stolen when I thought you need a credit/debit card to rent one? It should be 2 strikes and you’re in jail for the rest of your life. How many more people have to be attacked/assaulted/killed before anything is done? The Borough President of the Bronx must be in hiding since there are crimes committed there probably every 30 seconds.