Saturday 13 March 2021

'I did what I had to do': Woman, 27, who 'stabbed her boyfriend's father, 71, to death' in his Manhattan apartment claims he raped her

 A 27-year-old woman who allegedly stabbed her boyfriend's elderly father to death in his Manhattan apartment has claimed she did it because he raped her. 

Jerry Fox, 71, was found dead in a pool of his own blood with cuts to his neck, torso, legs and hands in the early hours of Wednesday morning when cops responded to multiple 911 calls for the apartment building on Seaman Avenue near West 207th Street in Inwood.

Cassandra Carter, the girlfriend of Fox's adopted son, was spotted trying to flee the crime scene via a fire escape ladder before she stopped and told officers she 'did what she had to do' because he had raped her, authorities said.


Carter was arrested and charged with second-degree murder over his slaying and was arraigned Thursday. 

A 27-year-old woman who allegedly stabbed her boyfriend's elderly father Jerry Fox (pictured) to death in his Manhattan apartment has claimed she did it because he raped her

A 27-year-old woman who allegedly stabbed her boyfriend's elderly father Jerry Fox (pictured) to death in his Manhattan apartment has claimed she did it because he raped her

Police received multiple calls around 2:30 am Wednesday morning to the second-floor apartment Fox shared with his son. 

When officers arrived on the scene, they spotted Carter making her way down the fire escape and walking away, prosecutors said Thursday.

A sergeant called out to her and she initially sped up in an apparent attempt to flee before stopping and telling the officer of the alleged sexual assault.   

'The guy in the apartment raped me,' she told the cop, according to the criminal complaint. 

Carter allegedly said she and Fox both cut each other and she sprayed him with roach spray but said she thought he was now dead.


'I did what I had to do. I think he's dead. I cut him and he cut me. I sprayed him with roach spray. He's in the apartment where I left him,' she reportedly said.

Carter then gave the officer a key to the apartment and they entered to find Fox's bloodied body lying on the floor with multiple slash wounds, prosecutors said. 

The 71-year-old, who previously worked for Verizon Communications as a research analyst in IT finance per his social media, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Carter was arrested on a homicide charge Wednesday night.  

Authorities have not confirmed if there is evidence of the alleged rape or whether the allegation has impacted the decision to bring second-degree rather than first-degree murder charges. 

A spokesperson told DailyMail.com the force takes reports of rape 'extremely seriously' and offers support to survivors. 

Jerry Fox, 71, (pictured) was found dead in a pool of his own blood with cuts to his neck, torso, legs and hands in the early hours of Wednesday morning

Jerry Fox, 71, (pictured) was found dead in a pool of his own blood with cuts to his neck, torso, legs and hands in the early hours of Wednesday morning

'The NYPD takes sexual assault and rape cases extremely seriously, and urges anyone who has been a victim to file a police report so we can perform a comprehensive investigation, and offer support and services to survivors,' the statement read.  

One neighbor told New York Daily News Fox had come to his apartment just hours before his death because of an alleged altercation with Carter.  

Fox told the neighbor Carter had locked herself in his bedroom with his phone and asked to use his phone to call the police because he was 'physically scared' of her. 

'He called the police. He was physically scared of her because she's big and strong,' the neighbor said.

He said Fox used his phone but he didn't hear what the 71-year-old told police during the call.  

Cops then arrived on the scene and 'there was lots of yelling and shouting' coming from Fox's apartment, the neighbor said. 

The incident unfolded around dinnertime Tuesday, he said, just hours before Fox's body would be discovered by officers. 

The neighbor described Fox as a 'good guy' who carried the 'burden' of his son's girlfriend who had become an 'unwelcome guest' in their home.

'We've heard yelling before. I think she just became an unwanted guest,' they said. 

Another neighbor also told the outlet they were aware of 'run-ins' between Fox and Carter prior to Wednesday's incident. 

Sherry, a 73-year-old resident, said she had heard rumors of 'domestic scuffles' with Carter but insisted Fox was close to his son.

'He had some run-ins with her in the past. We heard stories that they had domestic scuffles. He tried to smooth it over at the time, because he cared about his son,' she said. 

'I feel really bad for him. Because he was religious and he really tried to be a good person.'  

It wasn't clear if Carter lived with Fox and his son in the apartment or just visited regularly. 

Police sources told Daily News Carter had been arrested at least once in the past over a 2016 incident at the apartment where she was accused of setting fire to a floor mat.  

Carter was arraigned Thursday in Manhattan Criminal Court and denied bail.

She is due to next appear in court Monday.  

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