GRAND JURY FILES MURDER AND RAPE CHARGES AGAINST A BROOKLYN MAN IN THE STABBING DEATH AND DISMEMBERMENT OF ONE WOMAN AND THE SEXUAL ASSAULT OF ANOTHER - A FORMER GIRLFRIEND

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that a 48 year old Brooklyn man has been indicted on murder and other offenses in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 53 year old Bronx woman.

The grand jury indicted Marvin Byer, of 101 Woodruff Avenue, Brooklyn, on two counts of Murder in the 2nd degree, one count of Manslaughter in the 1st degree, one count of Rape in the 1st degree, one count of Sodomy in the 1st degree, and one count of Criminal possession of a weapon in the 4th degree. The most serious offense, murder, is punishable by a maximum sentence of 25 years to life imprisonment. Rape and sodomy are punishable by a maximum sentence of up to 25 years imprisonment for each offense. Byer is being held without bail and is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on May 9, 2005 in State Supreme Court, Part A2.

The charges of intentional murder, “depraved indifference” murder, and manslaughter concern the death of Eleanor Jackson whom the defendant allegedly stabbed in the chest during a heated argument. The rape and sodomy charges concern the defendant’s alleged actions in sexually assaulting his former girlfriend.

The brutal crimes occurred when Byer allegedly went to the former girlfriend’s apartment in an effort to reconcile the relationship. While Byer was waiting for her to arrive home, Jackson entered the apartment. It is alleged that Byer stabbed Jackson, put her body in the bathtub, and wiped up the blood before his former girlfriend returned home. When she did arrive at the apartment, Byer allegedly ordered her into the bedroom where she was threatened, raped and sodomized. The body was later dismembered, placed in plastic bags and discarded. Some body parts were placed in several public trash cans and some were disposed of in a dumpster across the street from the building where the murder occurred.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Suzanne McElwreath.