A 36-year-old man has been charged with murder after a woman was found dead near one of Central Park's most visited landmarks in New York City. Jonathan Robles was arrested and charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the death of a 63-year-old woman who was discovered near East Drive and East 74th Street inside the park, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) said in a statement emailed to Newsweek on Monday. The arrest came hours after police responded to reports of an unconscious person in Central Park.
Police told Newsweek on Sunday that the woman had been stabbed but have since retracted that statement and said she suffered head trauma. Newsweek reached out to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office by phone and email Monday for more information on Robles' case and whether he has an attorney. According to the NYPD, officers responded to a 911 call at approximately 9:43 a.m.
Sunday regarding an unconscious person near East Drive and East 74th Street in Central Park. When officers arrived, they found a 63-year-old woman unconscious and unresponsive with trauma to her head. Emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene.
The woman was found barefoot and covered in dirt near Central Park's East Drive, and investigators believe she was struck in the head with a stick. Robles surrendered to detectives before being taken to a hospital for evaluation ahead of his expected arraignment, according to WABC-TV in New York. The location where the woman was found is near the Loeb Boathouse area on the park's east side, one of Central Park's most recognizable destinations.
Police have not yet publicly released a motive or detailed the circumstances that led to the killing. The victim's identity has not been made public pending notification of family members. The investigation remains ongoing.
The NYPD identified the suspect as Jonathan Robles, a 36-year-old man with a listed address of 330 West 36th Street in Manhattan. The address is associated with the Barbour Hotel, a single-room occupancy residence that has operated as supportive housing through Praxis Housing Initiatives. According to the New York State Office of the Professions, Praxis Housing Initiatives operates the Barbour Hotel as a residential program providing housing and case management services for vulnerable New Yorkers, including people who have experienced chronic homelessness and individuals living with HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, mental illness, substance-use disorders and other health challenges.
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