Brooklyn Strangler serial killer Vincent Johnson aims at women

Williamsburg, Brooklyn is an upscale quarter with expensive lofts and trendy restaurants today.

In the late nineties, the community was “with crack use,” said former detective Luis Martinez, the former detective by Brooklyn North North, who has now retired from the New York City Police Department.

The area at this time also became the pounding area for a murderer who hunted women in need of protection. The first victim was found on a roof of the apartment on August 26, 1999. It was naked from the waist. Her hands were bound. She had ligatures around her neck.

“We saw the position in which she was” ” New York murderon Saturdays at 9/8C PM on Saturdays oxygen. “It was heartbreaking.”

Vivian Caraballo's body found on the roof

Spectators identified the woman, whose body was found on the roof as 26-year-old Vivian Caraballo. “She was very friendly. She spoke to everyone in the neighborhood,” said her friend Jimmy Perez.

The investigators learned about her mother “that she was a very intelligent girl who was addicted to crack,” said Valentin. “She couldn't get out.”

An autopsy showed that Caraballo was strangled. Sama that was exchanged from her body was submitted to a DNA database, but no agreement was found.

Joanne Feliciano found dead on one roof

On September 6, the body of 35-year-old Joanne Feliciano was found on the roof of her building three blocks from the first crime scene.

Feliciano was naked under the waist and had ligatures around her neck. “I definitely thought that something was happening here,” said Valentin.

Richard Gonzalez, Feliciano's girlfriend, said she was “a treasure, very sporty. But she became addicted to the drugs.”

Detectives learned that Caraballo and Feliciano knew each other. “Joanne and Vivian visited the same drug locations and both in prostitution,” said Martinez.

The medical examiner found that Feliciano was strangled and DNA was restored. “They had sex with the same person,” said Valentin about these two victims.

Rhonda Tucker discovered dead in her apartment

On September 25, 1999, Rhonda Tucker, who was 21 and had a little son

She was naked, strangled and had a ligature around her neck. “She is also a drug user,” said Martinez. “She went to prostitution to support her drug habits.”

The medical examiner compared seeds via Tucker's body with DNA samples from the two Williamsburg victims. The sperm fit all three.

Detectives were convinced that the same person killed all women. “We knew that everything was connected,” said Joe Cunneen, now as an inspector of the murder squad in Brooklyn North North in retirement. “We had a serial killer who was now running around and killed prostitute.”

Martinez remembered how the urgency dramatically increased at that time when the scope of the crimes came into focus. “We called him the Brooklyn Strangler. The missions were much higher,” he said New York murder.

Katrina Niles found dead in the apartment in Brooklyn

On October 4th Katrina Niles34, became naked and strangled by a cord in her apartment in the Marcy Houses, a public residential complex in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

“Detectives found that Katrina Niles was a city worker, a very hard worker, but unfortunately it fell to Crack addiction,” said Martinez.

While Nile's death followed a pattern, there was a difference. “The first three victims all had a suitable DNA, but Katrina didn't have the right DNA,” said Valentin.

However, there was a certain way to knot the ligature that the police believed that it was the same murderer.

The news of the fourth victim in just over six weeks spread. “Attention was attracted, but it was not the explosive attention that, like the son of Sam or the Zodiac killer, got” News day at the time.

A documentary crew after the murder square with the case of Brooklyn Strangler began as an interest in the history of Rose.

This contributed to pressing the officials to catch the murderer before struck again. Detective examined the DNA databases and manual banks from other states.

“There were over 100 people who interviewed at this time spoken to prostitutes, interviewed drug dealers and interviewed Johns,” said Martinez.

Sup. Dennis Singleton, who has now been withdrawn from the NYPD squad in Brooklyn North Homicide squad, had visited the FBI National Academy. He suggested turning to the behavioral unit of the FBI to create a profile.

Body of Laura Nusser and Patricia Sullivan found

Despite the efforts of the detectives, 44-year-old Laura Nusser was found in February 2000 under the Williamsburg Bridge.

“She has a family, a husband, a daughter,” said Singleton. “The only problem was Crack cocaine.” Nusser turned to sex work to support her habit, so loud New York murder.

Four months later, Patricia Sullivan, a 48-year-old mother of five years, was found naked around his neck naked.

“She was a para -professional in a music course in which she helped the children,” said her daughter Ivy Bryant. “But my mother was on a crack. Regardless of the drugs … that's still my mother.”

The medical examiner decided Sullivan's cause of death as a strangulation. It was found that sperm from her body was a match for the DNA, which was collected by the first three victims in the case.

Vincent Johnson becomes the suspect

When the tribute of the Brooklyn Strangler got higher, a tip led the investigators to a homeless drug user named Lloyd. His DNA rehearsal excluded him as a suspect, but he shared information that would set the case.

In July 2000, he told the police that Vincent Johnson, a man with whom he had taken drugs, talked about being violent with sex workers and how he “falls out”.

Detective learned that the 31 -year -old Johnson had a record for minor crimes such as entering and possession of drugs. They also found that they had lived in the Bronx and worked with the construction.

Johnson's former girlfriend said that “her normal life was basically out of control when both started to get crack,” said Gardiner. They separated, he lost his job and became homeless.

“We find out that he asks prostitutes for sex,” said Singleton.

After a search, the police rounded Johnson together and drove him to the district. During the trip he claimed that he had tuberculosis and frequently coughed. “In the parking lot we park, he spat on the floor,” said Valentin.

During the interview, Johnson was difficult to grasp and offered scarce answers. He rejected all water offers or a drink and seemed aware that the police tried to get his DNA.

At that time, detective Johnson's spit dabbed in the parking lot. “We were very lucky that it was kept where he spat and we could have it processed,” said Valentin.

Vincent Johnson was charged with murders

On August 3, 2000, Johnsons DNA returned to some of the victims as a game. After his arrest, Johnson told Detectives how he operated.

“He would buy crack and then lure the prostitute with the crack,” said Martinez. When the women were put under drugs, he killed them.

He accused his crimes of his misuse. “I think he was just looking for an apology,” said Valentin.

Johnson was accused of murdering Caraballo, Feliciano, Tucker and Sullivan – all victims with DNA games to him.

Johnson finally made a plea. He admitted to the police that he killed Nusser. He was sentenced to life without probation.

To learn more about the case, you can see the episode “The Brooklyn Strangler” to see New York murder. New episodes of the show Air on Saturdays at 9/8C PM on February 9th. oxygen.