Murder of Karina Vetrano
Karina Anne Vetrano (July 12, 1986 – August 2, 2016) was a 30-year-old American woman who was attacked, sexually assaulted, and murdered while running in Spring Creek Park in the Howard Beach neighborhood of Queens, New York City. The case attracted national media attention, partially due to how it went unsolved for nearly six months. A suspect, Chanel Lewis, was arrested and charged with her murder in February 2017 after being linked by DNA evidence. Lewis' trial began on November 5, 2018, and ended in a mistrial on November 21, 2018. A retrial took place in March 2019. On April 1, 2019, Lewis was found guilty on three counts of murder and one count of sexual abuse; he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Following the sentencing, there was discourse on whether or not Lewis' conviction and punishment in retrial was racially motivated.
Karina Vetrano | |
|---|---|
| Born | Karina Anne Vetrano July 12, 1986 |
| Died | August 2, 2016 (aged 30) |
| Cause of death | Strangulation |
| Height | 151 cm (4 ft 11 in) |
| Parent(s) | Phillip Vetrano (father) Cathie Vetrano (mother) |
Chanel Lewis | |
|---|---|
| Conviction(s) | 1 count of first-degree murder 2 counts of second-degree murder 1 count of sexual abuse (convicted April 1, 2019) |
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole |
| Details | |
| Victims | Karina Vetrano |
| Date | August 2, 2016 |
Date apprehended | February 4, 2017 |