Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

News

Harlem Man Found Dead With Hands Tied, Bag Over His Head


By

Christopher Robbins

Published Jan 29, 2013

Modified Jan 30, 2013


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

The victim's apartment building at 87 Hamilton Place

 

Google Maps


By

Christopher Robbins

Published Jan 29, 2013

Modified Jan 30, 2013


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

A 48-year-old man was found dead in his Harlem apartment yesterday with a bag over his head and his service dog at his side. Police say Charles Romo was found at 10:20 a.m. and was pronounced dead at the scene. An NYPD spokesperson said that the medical examiner will determine the cause of death. The Post quotes police sources saying "he was found kneeling on the bedroom floor with [his] hands tied behind his back and legs secured together with that appeared to be a belt. There was tape found wrapped around his neck and blood coming from the head and neck area."

The tabloid also notes that the victim had HIV, was blind in one eye, and needed a home health aide, who discovered his body. "He was a really friendly guy. He always asked how people were doing," a neighbor told DNAinfo. "It's a horrible crime. Hopefully we find out what happened and these people are brought to justice." Romo did not appear to have been robbed, and his dog, a greyhound, was unharmed inside the apartment.

Tagged

30th precinct

harlem

HOMICIDE

nypd


Christopher Robbins

Twitter

Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE news

Judge temporarily halts overnight construction at NYC’s Chinatown jail

The order comes after Chinatown residents sued the city over noise, health concerns and years of planned after-hours construction.

By

Giulia Heyward

Published Oct 26, 2026 at 7:08 p.m. ET


Pressure grows on Mamdani to reform admissions to NYC specialized high schools

A former top-school official will join councilmembers and other prominent educators at an event focused on specialized high schools.

By

Elizabeth Kim

News

Pressure grows on Mamdani to reform admissions to NYC specialized high schools

A former top-school official will join councilmembers and other prominent educators at an event focused on specialized high schools.

By

Elizabeth Kim


Police search for man in Central Park sexual assault

By

Charles Lane

Rockefeller Center's 2026 Christmas tree is a 76-foot spruce from Upstate New York

By

Giulia Heyward

‘A killer cop lives here’: Brooklyn arrests raise questions about limits of free speech

By

Ben Feuerherd


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .