Brooklyn Grand Jury Indicts Suspect in Jogger Katie Suarez Murder

A Brooklyn grand jury has indicted Sayed Mohassib, 27, for second-degree murder in the Brooklyn jogger murder case over the fatal stabbing of a woman running along the New York City waterfront, officials said on Tuesday (Nov 10).

Katie Suarez, 28, was stabbed in the neck while jogging along the Brooklyn waterfront on Oct 30, police said. She died several days later.

Brooklyn Jogger Murder Charge

Mohassib was arrested on Saturday (Nov 7), more than a week after the attack, and police charged him with second-degree murder. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said the grand jury formally indicted him on Tuesday and that he will be arraigned on the indictment at a later date.

In a statement, Gonzalez described Suarez as a young woman taken from her loved ones in a senseless act of violence. He said the indictment “marks an important step toward securing justice”, commended the NYPD for its investigation and vowed to prosecute the case vigorously.

What the Complaint Alleges

According to the criminal complaint, surveillance footage captured Mohassib near the bike path beside the Belt Parkway on the night of the attack.

He allegedly told NYPD detectives that he went to the bike path with a knife that day because he believed people were coming to kill his family. He allegedly said he sat on a bench and became covered in blood, and denied stabbing anyone, the complaint states.

Footage also allegedly shows him returning home and throwing items down a garbage chute while wearing only his underwear. He allegedly told detectives that once home, he got rid of the bloody clothing and the knife.

Suspect’s Background

Mohassib worked as a teacher’s aide at a Brooklyn public elementary school near the crime scene, a source with knowledge of the investigation told ABC News. New York City school officials said he has been terminated, and New York City Public Schools said it is reviewing its background check process.

The same source said Mohassib briefly worked for the NYPD before being removed for psychological reasons, and was later discharged from the Marines over mental health issues.

His mother, Fatma Mohassib, told ABC station WABC that her son had been in and out of psychiatric hospitals and that she shared the grief of Suarez’s family. ABC News said it had reached out to Mohassib’s lawyer for comment.

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