LOWER EAST SIDE, Manhattan — A man was found decapitated and dismembered in his Lower East Side apartment Tuesday afternoon, the NYPD said.
The man’s body was found shortly after 3:30 p.m. in the East Houston Street building, officials said.
Police identified the victim as 33-year-old Fahim Saleh, a globe-trotting tech entrepreneur according to his LinkedIn page.
According to family, it was Saleh’s own cousin who made the grisly discovery inside his luxury apartment.
Investigators told PIX11 that the female family member also found an electric saw, still plugged into the outlet, and her brother’s limbs placed in bags.
Mitchel Glixon was walking his dog past 265 East Houston around 3 p.m. Wednesday when a woman, believed to be the victim’s cousin, burst out of the lobby, screaming and crying.
“She just says ‘he has no head’ and pointed to her arms and kind of making an arm motion as she went back to the lobby. People kind of surrounded her at that point,” Glixon said.
Officers said the victim was last seen on surveillance video entering the apartment Monday afternoon; 24 hours later, police dogs searched the surrounding area for clues.
Police sources said the surveillance video shows Saleh and a well-dressed man all in black following him into the elevator that goes right to his apartment. It is believed this is when he was attacked.
Neighbor Jason Gabriel tried to process the news. “It’s a scary time right now. People have pent up anger. A lot of stuff is going on, so I’m praying for the guy,” he said.
Editor’s note: Police sources initially said it was the victim’s sister who discovered his body.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting www.nypdcrimestoppers.com, 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).
