Suspect in Menachem Stark murder in custody

Breakthrough made in case of slain landlord

Menachem Stark (Credit: Eli Wohl)
Menachem Stark (Credit: Eli Wohl)

Police have a primary suspect in custody in connection with the murder of Brooklyn landlord Menachem Stark

The move comes nearly four months after Stark was kidnapped from outside his Williamsburg office on Jan. 2. His body was discovered in a dumpster in Great Neck the following afternoon. Stark’s family and friends, along with Jewish community leaders, are hosting a press conference today at 1 pm at 32 Penn Street in Brooklyn.

Police Commissioner Bill Bratton did not identify the suspect. He did say, however, that the pace of their investigation had accelerated significantly, and that he expects more developments in the next day or two.

One of the suspects, a 26-year-old man who was the driver of the van used in the kidnapping, confessed to his crime and implicated two other suspects, sources told the New York Post. Stark died of suffocation during a struggle with his kidnappers, sources told the newspaper, who then panicked as they tried to figure out what to do with his body.

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The family of Stark issued a statement today, noting that an arrest had been made in the case. That claim has not been confirmed by police, however.

“Today is bittersweet,” said Rabbi David Niederman, executive director of the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg. “Bitter because Menachem is no longer with us and he is forever missed. Sweet that the law enforcement community has made an arrest in this heinous crime.”

The Real Deal recently took a closer look at the slain landlord’s property portfolio, which sources said consisted of about 1,000 apartments in the Williamsburg-Greenpoint area. Stark was embroiled in several financial and legal disputes at the time of his kidnapping. – Hiten Samtani