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Queens Brush Fire Bodies Were Fatally Shot, Placed In Garbage Bags
By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 7, 2013
Modified Mar 7, 2013
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By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 7, 2013
Modified Mar 7, 2013
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The police have identified the charred bodies that were found after a brush fire in Queens' Spring Creek Park Preserve. Rudy Superville, 22, and Gary Lopez, 25, both of Brooklyn, are considered homicide victims: Both were shot and apparently put in garbage bags.
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said that initial suspicions that the pair had been bound were wrong—"it turned out to be plastic material that melted on their bodies... There’s some kinds of indication they had been in plastic or plastic bags. The theory is that they may have been killed elsewhere and dumped there. First responders said there appeared to be binding. Since then, we believe it was just residue plastic left over." Later, Police Commissioner Kelly said that the men were in plastic bags.
The FDNY received a call about the fire near 159th Avenue and 78th Street by the Belt Parkway at 4:14 a.m. yesterday and, during its work, found the bodies. The NY Times calls the area "one of the city’s most notorious dumping grounds." The authorities believe the victims, whose bodies were found facing down, were killed in one location and then dumped in the marsh, with the fire set to cover up the killings.
Today, the police released surveillance video of three cars seen near 157 Avenue at 83 Street—the NYPD would like to talk to the drivers and occupants of a two-tone dark colored custom van, a four-door light colored sedan, and a four-door dark colored sedan.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.
Howard Beach residents told NY1, "Hopefully [the suspects] came from out of the neighborhood, it's not any local people involved in any kind of problems" and "It's a very desolate area, though, you know you could see why someone would pick it. I mean during the day it's totally residential and safe but at night there is nothing here."
Tagged
brush fire
gun violence
HOMICIDE
howard beach
murder
queens
spring creek park preserve
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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