Suspect in Manhattan random stabbing spree appears in court on murder charges

A man openly accused of murdering three people unprovoked stabbing spree His first hearing in Manhattan was held Tuesday.

Ramon Rivera, 51, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder. new York Police Department. According to police sources, the suspect confessed to the murders during interrogation.

On Tuesday, the judge accepted the prosecutor’s request for detention. Rivera will return to court on November 22.

The attacks took place within three hours on Monday morning.

The first victim, 36-year-old Angel Lata Landi, was fatally stabbed in the abdomen at 8:22 a.m. in an unprovoked attack at the construction site where she worked on West 19th Street, the NYPD said.

About two hours later, Chang Wang, 67, was fatally stabbed multiple times on East 30th Street, police said.

The third victim, 36-year-old Wilma Augustin, was attacked around 10:55 a.m. at 42nd Street and First Avenue. The woman had multiple stab wounds and was taken to a hospital, where she later died, authorities said.

Police said the suspect, who was staying at the Bellevue Men’s Shelter on East 30th Street, was captured near East 46th Street and First Avenue.

Police said they chose the victims at random.

“He walked up to them and started attacking them,” Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said at a news conference.

Police said two bloody kitchen knives were seized.

Mayor Eric Adams said Rivera had been arrested eight times previously in New York City, according to law enforcement, and was believed to have serious mental health issues. Rivera’s case renewed frustration over the city’s failure to treat people in mental distress and detain people with a history of low-level criminal activity.

“There’s a real question as to why he’s on the street,” Adams said.

Rivera’s previous arrests were primarily related to shoplifting, authorities said. None of them had weapons.

Due to his last arrests, he was released without bail pending trial.

He had two documented interactions with the city while in mental distress.