A woman has been killed in a rare Central Park homicide, according to police.
PIX11 reports a 63-year-old woman was found beaten to death in the New York City park on Sunday. Police said her body was in what appeared to be a homeless encampment inside a gazebo; WABC reports she was barefoot and covered in dirt with head trauma.
According to WABC, a suspect has been charged with murder in what authorities called Central Park’s first homicide in years. Jonathan Robles, 36, was arrested Sunday night and charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
Investigators believe Robles struck the victim in the head with a stick, according to WABC.
NBC reports police retracted an earlier statement that the woman had been stabbed.
She was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name is being withheld pending notification of family members.
Police said Robles is a resident of the Barbour Hotel, a homeless shelter in NYC. WABC reports he was being evaluated at a hospital ahead of an expected arraignment.
An investigation is ongoing.
PIX11 reports this is the first murder inside Central Park in at least two years, according to NYPD statistics.
