‘I HAVE NEVER SEEN SAVAGERY LIKE THIS’
Two children among victims of Lansingburgh homicide
TROY, N.Y. » Police say a mother, her two children and another woman she was in a relationship with were the victims of what police Chief John Tedesco called the most troubling homicide case he has seen in more than four decades as a cop.
As autopsies were being performed on the four victims, Tedesco offered some details of the crime at a Wednesday afternoon news conference and asked for the public’s help in finding who killed the four people, 36- and 22-yearold women and the older woman’s 11-year- old son and 5-yearold daughter.
“After being in this business for nearly 42 years, I can say I have never seen savagery like this,” said Tedesco, who announced his pending retirement earlier this month. “Only a person of savagery would do something like this.”
Police are not releasing the identities of the victims, pending notification of relatives, but Tedesco said the four were found Tuesday afternoon in a basement apartment at 158 2nd Ave. by a property manager responding to a call asking him to check on the tenants in that apartment. Police remained at the scene throughout the day Wednesday, with state police and parole officers, as well as Rensselaer County sheriff’s deputies, assisting city police.
“Right now, at this point in the investigation, it’s just a mass of information,” Tedesco said. “We’re talking to a lot of people, but at this point, there’s no one person who is a person of interest.”
Tedesco provided few additional details on the investiga-
tion such as how they were killed or how long the bodies might have been inside the apartment, but said police believe the victims were specifically targeted.
“We do not believe it was a random act,” Tedesco said flatly. “We do not believe there is any imminent danger to the community.”
The chief asked anyone with information — no matter how inconsequential they believe it may be — to call detectives at 518-270- 4421 or visit the new Capital Region Crimestoppers website at www.capitalregioncrimestoppers.com.
Also present during the news conference were several pastors representing local churches.
“I believe this affects everyone in the city, the entire community, white, black everybody,” said the Rev. Jackie Robinson Sr. of Oak Grove Baptist Church. “There’s just no justification.”
“If there is a street code, it needs to be stopped right now,” added the Rev. Charles Burkes of United Ordained Church. “Whoever is out there that knows anything, they need to stop respecting the street code and give up the information.”
Also in the audience was Frank Mayben Jr., who said he coached the young boy in youth sports and briefly spoke with reporters after the news conference.
“I want people to understand that these were children and that’s the greatest disgrace that has ever happened,” said Mayben, who became emotional as he talked about the boy, who he coached for three years. “I know that the young man involved was definitely a good person. He was very coachable and lovable.”
Tedesco said that the department and other agencies will continue to work as hard as they can to solve the horrific crime. Tedesco said he expects parts of 2nd Avenue to remain blocked off during the investigation, with the street currently blocked between 102 and 103 streets.
“There’s not a resource we won’t tap,” Tedesco said. “This will be a full- court press until somebody’s brought to justice.”
The case would be just the second homicide investigation of the year. Dezmon T. Smith, 24, of Brooklyn, was gunned down just after 9 a.m. March 24 as he climbed into a taxi in front of a house on 6th Avenue, near the intersection with Hill and Jefferson streets. That case remains open.