A Walk in the Park: Evidence Search Continues In Death Of Jogger Raped & Strangled In Queens Park Nature Preserve

Police cordon off the area near 161st Ave. and 78th St. in Howard Beach the morning after the body of Karina Vetrano, 30, was found dead in the marshes of Spring Creek Park, less than a half a mile from her father's home. Photos: Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates. (Click on images to enlarge)

Victom Karina Vetrano. For decades area residents have complained about the invasive weeds that act as warrens for illegal activity in Spring Creek Park, which the government refused to address. On Tuesday the lack of attention to these basic park maintenance and security issues had deadly consequences.

“We plan to chop down just about every weed in that area until we are satisfied that we got all the evidence.” - NYPD

Queens

By Geoffrey Croft

The search continues for evidence in the horrific murder of Karina Vetrano, the thirty year-old woman found brutally murdered in Spring Creek Park in Howard Beech on Tuesday evening.

Ms. Vetrano went out for a jog around 5:00pm but did not come home.

Her partially nude body was found hours later, near a homeless encampment, face down, her under garment around an ankle. Grass was found clutched in her hand, a result of her being dragged in the struggle.

She had been raped, strangled and beaten to death while out doing what she loved, running outdoors in nature.

The NYPD's Crime Scene Unit vehicle near one of the entrances to Spring Creek Park where Karina Vetrano was found murdured.

After she failed to come home for two hours her father, Philip Vetrano reached out to a neighbor, an NYPD Assistant Chief who made a call to help.

Police launched a massive search to find the missing woman.

Her father who had been aiding the police in the search for his daughter discovered the lifeless body on a foot path.

Police at the scene.

Since the discovery police have been frantically searching the area for clues.

Earlier today police found a sneaker and a pair of headphones that were missing. The sneaker was found about 100 feet from the body and a pair of headphones was found on the opposite side of the path from the body.

Police believe the items may have been tossed by the killer due to the distance they were found. They say this may also point to a less sophisticated killer.

Authorities are also using technology to aid with the investigation.

A drone was brought in by the FBI from Quantico to help cover the area.

The city had deployed a helicopter with night vision and heat seeking capabilities to scan for any evidence including homeless encampments in the overgrown weeds.

A Leica A 3-D camera scanner has also been deployed to document the vicinity as part of the crime scene reconstruction. Beginning from her home and the street where she lives, the devise is being used try to retrace her movements to the park with pictures.

The investing has not been limited to the park. Police have been combing the neighborhood for witness and leads, going door to door.

So far no evidence has been found of the killer leaving through local streets on foot.

Detectives are examining video from security cameras from nearby homes.

“There is a lot of digital evidence, home video, cameras that point at the street. We are collecting that,” Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said at press briefing on Wednesday morning near the park.

“At 5:46 p.m., she ran past one of the homes there," he said.

Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce addressing the media.

Police believe the killer entered the park area and left the same way but they are unclear that direction that was.

Authorities have been questioning sex offenders in the area.

Federal Park Police from the Gateway National Recreation Area, which has jurisdiction of the park have provided information on several persons issued summonses for vagrancy the park over at least the last six months.

The agency's severe lack of enforcement manpower needed to cover the thousands of acres has also been brought to light, along with the lack of funding for maintenance.

For days heavy mowers have been used to cut the overgrowth in an effort to uncover clues.

“We plan to chop down just about every weed in that area until we are satisfied that we got all the evidence,” Chief Boyce said on Thursday.

For decades area residents have complained about the invasive weeds that act as warrens for illegal activity in Spring Creek Park, as well as in many other park properties owned by both the City and Federal government which they refuse to address.

On Tuesday the lack of attention to these basic park maintenance and security issues had deadly consequences.

Federal Park Police from the Gateway National Recreation Area at the scene on Wednesday.

The wake for Vetrano was held today at the James Romanelli-Stephen Funeral Home in Ozone Park.

She was dressed in a high-neck black dress with her hair pulled back.

The funeral is scheduled for tomorrow at noon at St. Helen Church in Howard Beach — just blocks from where she was killed.