2 Brothers Arrested In 2014 Kidnapping, Murder Of Brooklyn Landlord, Police Say
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Two brothers have been arrested in the 2014 kidnapping and murder of a Brooklyn real-estate developer.
Police said 38-year-old Erskin Felix is charged with murder and kidnapping and 28-year-old Kendall Felix is charged with hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence in connection with the death of 39-year-old Menachem Stark.
"Erskin Felix, we allege, was sort of the mastermind here," Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said. "We always suspected he had a major role."
Back in January of 2014, police said Stark was abducted outside his real estate office on Rutledge Street in Williamsburg. In surveillance video, two men can be seen grabbing Stark and pulling him into a minivan.
The next day, investigators said Stark's charred body was found in a trash container at a gas station in Great Neck, Long Island.
Stark was a wealthy real estate developer and father of seven. Gonzalez said his office never gave up on the case, WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported.
"We had promised the Stark family that we would not stop and we would continue digging and investigating this case until we could hold everyone that we knew were involved in that crime accountable," he said. "So today is a happy day for us that we're taking a step to fulfill that promise."
Nearly four months after the murder, police made the first arrest in the case, now 29-year-old Kendel Felix, a cousin of the brothers. He was just convicted on murder and kidnapping charges a few weeks ago, CBS2's Andrea Grymes reported.
The district attorney, in announcing the conviction, had said according to trial testimony and Felix's own confession that Felix did construction work for Stark and he and others suspected in the murder believed Stark owed them money.
Kendel Felix faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced next month, 1010 WINS' Al Jones reported.
The brothers are expected to be arraigned later Friday.
