Update: Inwood Hill Park: Sarah Fox's Killer's DNA NOT Linked To Occupy Wall Street Subway Vandalism

Inwood Hill Park - May 25, 2004. Police guard the entrance to the murder scene a few hours after volunteers discovered the body of 21-year-old Sarah Fox, an Inwood Hill resident for only six months. “We have one park-portable but he’s rarely in the parks, ” said a veteran 34th pct officer who spoke on the condition anonymity at the scene. “He’s a summons guy, he’s got to make the numbers by the end of the month. That’s what the city wants, it’s too bad. Not that this could have been prevented, but you never know. These are desolate areas, we should have at least a presence.” After a short pause he continued, “But, it’s all about the (the amount of tickets given) numbers. (park-portable - an officer assigned to parks) (Photo: Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates.)

“They need it, they got a lot parkland up there, ” said a NYPD Sgt. from the nearby 33 Pct speaking about manpower needed in the parks, who also spoke on the condition he not be identified.

“One of the things she (Sarah) said to me is, ‘Mom, I’m exploring my neighborhood,’” Lorraine Fox, Sarah’s mother said at the time. Every person should have the right to explore their neighborhood without experiencing this horrible tragedy.

UPDATE: On Tuesday it was first reported that DNA evidence collected from the murder scene of Sarah Fox in 2004 had been linked to DNA off a chain left behind by Occupy Wall Street protesters at a subway station in March. On Wednesday it was revealed however that the DNA had been tained by a lab employee.

Sadly her killer has never been brought to justice.

- Geoffrey Croft

A missing poster of murdered Juliard Student Sarah Fox posted in Inwood Hill Park. (Photo: Craig Warga /New York Daily News)

Manhattan

Officials have linked forensic evidence from the 2004 murder scene of a 21-year-old Juilliard student to the scene of a recent Occupy Wall Street subway vandalism, NBC 4 New York has learned.

NBC 4 New York has learned that investigators have connected DNA evidence from the scene of Sarah Fox's murder in Inwood Hill Park eight years ago to DNA collected from an item located at the scene of an Occupy Wall Street subway station vandalism in March.

Fox was found nude and strangled in the park in May 2004, days after she disappeared during a daytime jog. Investigators recovered her pink CD player in the woods just yards from her body.

Sources said Tuesday the DNA found on the CD player is linked to DNA found on a chain left by Occupy Wall Street protesters at the Beverly Road subway station in East Flatbush on March 28, 2012.

That Wednesday morning, protesters chained open emergency gates and taped up turnstiles in eight subway stations and posted fliers encouraging riders to enter for free.

A "communique" posted online later that day by the "Rank and File Initiative" described the act as a protest against service cuts, fare hikes and transit employees' working conditions.

It was attributed to "teams of activists, many from Occupy Wall Street... with rank and file workers from the Transport Workers Union Local 100 and the Amalgated Transit Union."

Sources said they have not connected a person to the common DNA found on the CD player and the chain. There's no immediate evidence that the DNA belongs to the Occupy Wall Street protesters who chained open the gates.

No one was arrested in the March incidents. Police are continuing to investigate, and are now working to try to identify the source of the DNA found in common with the chain and CD player.

Dr. Lawrence Koblinsky, a forensics expert at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said the DNA link was a major clue in the investigation, one that could potentially break the case.

“You’ve got the same DNA left at two distinct sites," said Koblinsky. "Until they find the individual who left that DNA, we won’t know. But the likelihood is high the person who left that DNA on the CD player is the killer of Sarah Fox.”

Dimitry Sheinman, 47, has been long been considered a suspect in the Fox murder. He has since moved to South Africa and started a family. He was never charged in the case. Sheinman recently returned to New York City, proclaming to be a clairvoyant with knowledge of the killer's identity.

The information he gave police is unclear.

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