“You punk! You coward!” onlookers yelled at 27-year-old Dwayne Blackwood as New York police escorted the murder suspect to a waiting car on Friday night.
Blackwood has been charged with second-degree murder, felony assault and burglary in the Brooklyn home invasion that left 91-year-old Waldman Thompson dead and his 100-year-old wife Ethlin hospitalised. Both victims migrated from Jamaica to the US earlier in their lives.
Reports are that thieves invaded the Thompsons’ home in Brooklyn last week, and tied the couple with cords before rummaging through the house and escaping with US$5,000.
Ethlin reportedly managed to subsequently free herself and call for help.
Upon the arrival of the police, Waldiman was found still bound and lying on the floor unresponsive with his face smothered with a pillow and blanket. He died of a heart attack.
The horrific attack sent shock waves across New York City. A crowd of people gathered outside the New York Police Department’s station while Blackwood was being processed for the crime and hurled insults at him as he was being escorted out.
“You’re lucky the police are here!” an onlooker reportedly shouted.
Police are still looking for three other suspects including a man seen in photos released by the NYPD earlier this week. The images were reportedly captured by a video recording near the Thompsons’ home around the time of the crime.
The NYPD is offering a US$10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
