A fugitive accused of killing his boss at a jewelry store in Tribeca over eight years ago has been extradited to New York and charged with murder, according to prosecutors.
Michelle Patrick Desales, who is now 54 years old, allegedly murdered Omido Gorian at the Gold N Diamond store on February 14, 2017. Following the incident, Desales reportedly fled to his hometown of Mauritius to evade justice, as revealed by the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
He remained hidden in the Indian Ocean until recently when officials from various agencies captured him and brought him back to New York.
Desales faces a second-degree murder charge and is being held without bail, according to the district attorney’s office.
It’s claimed that Desales attacked Gorian by strangling him with zip ties. The fatal incident happened in the morning, and by that evening, Desales was already en route to Mauritius.
Meanwhile, Gorian’s family became concerned when they could not reach him after several days. His brother even reported him missing, prompting police to investigate.
When Gorian’s brothers arrived at the store the next day, they found the gate locked. Police assisted them in locating the keys to gain entry.
Once inside, investigators discovered Gorian lying lifeless in a pool of blood, with zip ties around his neck.
Gorian, a Marine Park resident, had visible injuries such as bruises and cuts, confirming the grim findings by the responding EMTs who declared him dead at the scene.
The city’s medical examiner later confirmed the cause of death as homicide due to “neck compression.”
A neighboring store owner, Fred Lale, remarked that he sensed something was wrong when he noticed Gorian’s shop was closed on Valentine’s Day, a typically busy day for them.
Lale mentioned that an employee had informed him Gorian had sent him to handle business elsewhere in the Diamond District.
Interestingly, just before the employee headed to work, Gorian had called him, instructing him not to return to the store—a remark that puzzled Lale.
Desales is scheduled to appear in court again on August 11. His capture was a result of coordinated efforts by the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Embassy in Mauritius, and local authorities.
