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Man charged with raping NYC subway rider who was found dead on train, police say
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Apr 28, 2025
Modified Apr 28, 2025
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Gary Hershorn / Getty Images
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Apr 28, 2025
Modified Apr 28, 2025
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Police said Monday that they arrested a man for allegedly raping another man who was found dead on the subway in Lower Manhattan earlier this month.
Officers in the NYPD’s 1st Precinct took 44-year-old Brooklyn resident Felix Rojas into custody around 9:30 p.m. Sunday and charged him with rape in the first degree, police officials said. He is accused of sexually assaulting and robbing a fellow subway rider who was unconscious on a southbound R train near the Whitehall Street–South Ferry station shortly after midnight on April 9.
The New York Daily News reported the victim as Jorge Gonzalez, 37, who surveillance footage showed passed out after smoking a cigarette on the train. His estranged wife told the outlet that investigators said he may have died of cirrhosis due to alcoholism.
Neighbors on the Bensonhurst block where police said Rojas lived recalled him Monday as a family man with three sons and a wife, and said they were shocked by the accusations.
Police also said they were looking for a woman who stole property from Gonzalez on the train that same day. She has not yet been arrested, according to officials.
Rojas’ arraignment was pending early Monday in Manhattan Criminal Court, and information for his lawyer was not immediately available. He has no prior arrests in New York City, officials said.
This story has been updated with additional information.
Tagged
south ferry
new york city
public safety
manhattan
transportation
Whitehall Street
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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