Jury Seeks Death for Slasher
Kevin Pravia's Death a Homicide
Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 7:30 am
UPDATE
The New York Post is reporting an arrest and confession in the murder of Kevin Pravia. From the paper:
The suspect allegedly told investigators that he bought drugs from Pravia before they went to the apartment - though police sources said they doubt the drug buy claim.
The suspect allegedly accompanied Pravia back to the student's Chelsea apartment. Pravia, who was reportedly very drunk (see below), eventually fell asleep. Then the as-yet-unnamed 22-year-old suspect allegedly struck Pravia, wrapped a cord around his neck, shoved a plastic bag in his mouth, and strangled him (NYC's ABC affiliate says the suspect allegedly smothered the victim with a pillow). Police say the suspect then took off with Kevin Pravia's iPod, laptop and cell phone. Some of the items were later sold on the street. [Hat-tip to reader "LoisDenominator."]
Original Post
The New York Sun is reporting this morning that Kevin Michael Pravia's death is being investigated as a homicide.
The 19-year-old honors student at Pace University was found Sunday by his roommate, Josephine Madonna, in the apartment they shared in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. Pravia was strangled with some kind of cord and a plastic bag was stuffed in his throat. According to the Sun, "a police report released yesterday indicated that they were investigating the death as a homicide."
Pravia was wearing a t-shirt and boxer shorts when he was found. He was laying face up in his bed, covered with a sheet.
An article published this morning in the New York Daily News states that Pravia left a party around 5:30 Saturday morning. He was inebriated and had to be helped to a taxi and given cab fare home.
After he left the party, Pravia called at least five male friends. Police have already confirmed the alibi of one friend.
Further confirmation that Kevin Pravia was murdered may be inferred by the Daily News report that "Detectives were also looking for Pravia's cell phone and laptop computer, which were missing from his apartment." Other valuable items in the apartment, such as Josephine Madonna's jewelry, were not taken.
While preliminary results from an autopsy were not conclusive, police say there was no sign of forced entry into the apartment and that Pravia was not sexually assaulted.
Friends who spoke to the press and at least one acquaintance who left a comment on this blog were clear about the issue of Kevin Pravia possibly being suicidal -- he wasn't. His high school friend, Kirk Emerson, told the Sun, "He wouldn't do that." An acquaintance who blogged about Pravia's death described Kevin as a "chill ass dude."
A commenter who posted here as Patrick Quinn wrote that "there is absolutely no way that Kevin killed himself. [If] you'd like to know a bit more about one of the most amazing people i've ever known, feel free to email me." [New York Sun and the New York Daily News.]
Tags: Chelsea, honor student, Kevin Pravia, Manhattan, Pace University, sophomore, strange death, strangled
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