NEW YORK (PIX11) — A man was taken into police custody Monday for allegedly attacking a woman in Brooklyn over the weekend while investigators also probe his possible connection to the fatal stabbing of an 83-year-old man, authorities said.
Joevani Vale, 26, turned himself in at a Brooklyn hospital on Monday for a psychiatric evaluation, according to the NYPD. Police said Vale’s relative told hospital staff he was the man police were searching for in connection to both attacks.
A 31-year-old woman was slashed in the right thigh near 134 Nevins St. at around 1:30 p.m. Saturday, police said. Less than an hour later, police found Ramon Cintron, 83, with stab wounds to the arm and neck inside the Wyckoff Houses at 185 Nevins St. in Boerum Hill, authorities said. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Vale is expected to be charged in the slashing while authorities investigate his possible involvement in Cintron’s death.
Those who knew and loved Cintron were devastated by his death. He lived in the building for decades and had just returned Saturday from the hospital after being ill.
“I started crying, I broke down when his daughter called me,” said one neighbor who wished to remain anonymous. “I said no, not him. Why would anyone do that to him? He was amazing.”
Many neighbors told PIX11 News that Vale had a history of terrorizing the building and had family that he regularly visited.
“The building knew that [Vale] had issues,” said Robert Crispin, a neighbor who also lived in the Wyckoff Gardens NYCHA building in Boerum Hill where Cintron was killed. “This wasn’t the first time that he got into a situation where he hurt someone in the building with cuts or slashings.”
Police confirmed Vale used to live in the Wyckoff Houses. He has three prior arrests, including for assault and forcible touching, police said.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
