After torso found in shopping cart in New York, human head located at suspect's home

Woman torso found in Brooklyn, New York City

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Thursday, March 10, 2022
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NEW YORK -- Police arrested a person in the death of a woman whose torso was found inside a shopping cart in New York City last week.

Harvey Marcelin, 83, is charged with the concealment of a human corpse.

Marcelin of Brooklyn was arrested last Friday, the day after the torso was discovered, and has been held without bail since at Rikers Island.

Marcelin has a court hearing scheduled for Thursday but is not expected to attend.

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The criminal complaint noted that a human head was found inside Marcelin's apartment after detectives executed a search warrant. They also recovered electric saws purchased at Home Depot.

The 68-year-old victim was seen on surveillance video pulled by detectives entering Marcelin's apartment in Brooklyn, near the crime scenes, on Feb. 27.

Marcelin was seen leaving the apartment three days later with her body parts apparently in a bag.

The body parts of the woman were discovered early on March 3 in Brooklyn.

Marcelin was released from state prison in August 2019 and is on lifetime parole.

Marcelin has two prior convictions in the deaths of ex-girlfriends.

On April 18, 1963, Marcelin fatally shot a girlfriend in Manhattan. They were convicted of murder and released on lifetime parole in May 1984.

Then again on Nov. 2, 1985, Marcelin fatally stabbed another girlfriend, also in Manhattan. Her body was found in a bag near Central Park. They were convicted of manslaughter and later released on lifetime parole in August 2019.