Days before her death, the aunt of a straphanger who was thrown in front of a train and killed in an unprovoked attack at an East Harlem station begged her nephew to stop using the subway, citing escalating violence on the subways.
Christine Conte, 70, gave details of her last phone call with her nephew Jason Volz, 55, outside a Manhattan courtroom Friday after the murder suspect was indicted.
Conte said that when Volz contacted her on Saturday and told her how excited he was about the first date he was planning with his new gal pal, she begged him to take the bus instead of the subway.
“I heard the accident happening. I was shocked thinking about him,” Conte said, fighting back tears.
“I was worried like crazy about him. I said, ‘Jason, please don’t get on the train.’ There are many murderers. ”
The number of felonies on transit increased by 53% last year compared to before the pandemic, with 570 crimes in 2023 compared to 373 in 2019, according to the latest data from the NYPD.
Ms. Conte and her son were at a hearing Friday for murderer Carlton McPherson, 24, who is accused of pushing Mr. Volz in front of a subway train at the East 125th Street and Lexington Avenue station on Monday shortly before 7 p.m. He was waiting in court all Friday for the meeting.
Macpherson had family members in the gallery, but was excused from appearing by her lawyer. Prosecutors announced that they have charged the subway pusher, who her family says suffers from bipolar disorder.
Mr Conte’s son spoke with Mr MacPherson’s family outside the courtroom after the hearing, where a voice could be heard shouting “murderer” at Mr MacPherson’s family.
Volz’s aunt said she wanted to see McPherson for herself after being barred from seeing her nephew’s body.
“I just wanted to see him. I just wanted to see the look on his face. I wanted to see how he would react when they said something to him. Was he going to smile? Was he going to make a noise, talk, laugh?” He talked about a time when he smiled.
“I just wanted to see curiosity. I’m sorry, he killed my nephew. My heart is torn apart.”
Conte said he was haunted after learning that Volz was shoved to death while waiting for the subway.
“It’s terrible that he had to be kicked out like that. It’s terrible,” she said.
She echoed what neighbors had described Mr. Volz as having a “very big heart” and being a “compassionate” person.
McPherson is scheduled to be arraigned on the murder charge at his next court date, April 15th.
