My stepmother just called to say that there was a murder in Brooklyn Heights yesterday. Interestingly, I was in Brooklyn Heights until about 4:30 yesterday. I noticed that there was a police presence at Grand Army Plaza but that may have been unrelated. It turns out that it was not a murder. Police have ruled out criminality. Still, it’s a strange kind of death. Found in a bathtub with stab wounds.
My stepmother told me that Clark and Hicks Street were closed off yesterday and residents were required to show ID. Last night, she and my dad saw helicopters with search lights. She told me to look on the Brooklyn Heights Blog so I did. Here’s the story from yesterday.
The Brooklyn Eagle is reporting that a 42-year-old man was found dead in his apartment at 166 Hicks Street between Clark and Pierrepont. Reportedly stabbed to death in his bathtub (see update 2 below). We’ve received reports that Hicks Street around Clark Street has been cordoned off by the police as they investigate the crime.
Update: NYPD is on the scene. Current word is that authorities have not determined if the death was a murder or suicide.
Update 2 from BHB’s Weegee: The police have identified the victim as Graham Barnett, 42, of 166 Hicks Street. He was pronounced dead by EMS at 4:15 p.m., (on Tuesday) and was found to have multiple stab wounds to the torso. Cops recovered knives at the scene, and do not suspect criminality. Barnett’s wife was being questioned at the 84th Precinct.
Update 3: The NY Sun is the first paper with a blurb, reiterating weegee’s report that the police do not suspect criminality: