Police took a Brooklyn man into custody on Friday for allegedly tasing, stabbing, and dismembering his former boss in a Lower East Side apartment on Monday, police said.
Cop cuffed Flatbush resident Tyrese Haspil, 21, at 8:45 am on Friday morning for allegedly killing the 33-year-old tech entrepreneur, and charged him with homicide, Chief Detective Rodney Harrison announced at a Friday press conference.
According to police, Haspil tased Fahim Saleh, the co-CEO of a motorbike ride-share company, as the two were entering Saleh’s $2.25 million condo on E. Houston Street on the corner of Suffolk Street at around 1:45 pm on July 13. Haspil then amputated Saleh’s head, arms, and legs, Harrison said.
Sources told amNewYork Metro that an electric saw was reportedly found near the body, and the New York Times reported that Haspil stabbed Saleh to death before dismembering him. The NYPD did not immediately confirm either account or list Saleh’s cause of death.
Saleh’s cousin discovered his remains the next day when she went to his apartment to check on him, and immediately called 911, Harrison said.
Police authorities implied that Haspil, who had worked for Saleh since he was 16, may have carried out the grisly murder because he owed Saleh a lot of money.
“[It was] revealed that Mr. Haspil was Mr. Saleh’s executive assistant and handled his finances and personal matters,” Harrison said. “It is also believed that he owed him a significant amount of money.”
According to Reuters, Saleh founded the Gokada motorbike hailing app that was popular in the Nigerian megacity of Lagos until state officials in February banned all motorcycle taxis, known locally as ‘okada’ and able to weave through traffic.
Harrison praised the 7th Precinct for apprehending Haspil so quickly.
“First, I want to acknowledge and commend the great work that was done in this case,” he said. “The extensive investigation led by the 7th Precinct Detective Squad, Manhattan South Homicide, identified the perpetrator in less than three days.”
