Police cuffed a homeless man on June 19 who is believed to be responsible for the murder of an East Village subway rider over the weekend, police said.
Claude White, 33, was marched out of the 13th Precinct on Monday evening by detectives after being charged with the murder of 32-year-old Tavon Silver of the Bronx.
Silver was found unconscious with two puncture wounds to the chest aboard a southbound 4 train as it pulled into the Union Square Station at around 4 a.m. on June 17. He was rushed to Bellevue Hospital by EMS but could not be saved and succumbed to his wounds. The exact weapon used in the crime remains unclear, although police commented that the wounds were not indicative of a knife.
Sources familiar with the investigation reported that the unhoused man was a key person of interest after being seen on surveillance video and then was arrested on Monday after eagle-eyed transit cops spotted White still wearing the same clothes in which he allegedly committed the crime. The arrest came mere hours after NYPD Chief of Transit Michael Kemper pledged to hold the killer responsible for the crime.
White didn’t respond when peppered with questions by reporters, remaining silent as he was placed in the back of an unmarked police vehicle. He is charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon. White also has a lengthy criminal history totaling more than a half a dozen crimes dating back over a decade that includes grand larceny and robbery, police said.
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