Before a judge ordered the defendant held without bail in Manhattan Criminal Court on Saturday, prosecutors argued that a Washington Heights man accused of stabbing his neighbor to death in a subway station “left the victim to die on the stairs.”
Diego Figueroa Hepner, 24, charged with second-degree murder for allegedly stabbing musician Johnny Medina with a deadly knife at the 175th Street station, did not speak at his arraignment at 11 p.m.
“Despite having no criminal history, in this case the defendant committed an audacious crime on the subway, without regard for the victim’s life, leaving her to die on the stairs,” the assistant district attorney told the judge.
“Given the seriousness of the case and the fact that the defendant faces life imprisonment, there is a significant incentive for him to flee the jurisdiction. Detention is necessary and appropriate.”
Figueroa Hepner’s lawyer, Peter Roman of the Legal Aid Society, argued there was more to the incident and suggested the 24-year-old man was also injured in the bloody melee.
“My client was arrested in hospital with significant stab and cut wounds to his legs, arms and head,” Roman told the court.
Figueroa-Hepner was wearing green shorts, a white T-shirt and Nike sneakers and showed no visible injuries at the time of his arraignment.
The judge ordered Figueroa-Hepner held without bail, given her lack of a criminal history.
Neither the prosecution nor the defense suggested a motive for the murder, but neighbors and associates told The Washington Post on Saturday that the pair, who lived across the street from each other, had previously clashed.
“I think this guy was pretty obsessed with Johnny and posted some pretty negative things. [on social media] “Regarding Johnny… Johnny filed a police report maybe a month ago to complain about this guy,” Medina’s paternal cousin, Maximo Rebes, 42, claimed.
Figueroa-Hepner is alleged to have been wearing a balaclava when he ambushed Medina at the train station and stabbed him multiple times in the neck and body.
Medina, who was on his way to catch a northbound A train to see a movie with his girlfriend, died from his injuries at Harlem Hospital.
Laumann and Figueroa-Hepner’s father declined to respond to The Washington Post’s requests for comment.
The murder suspect is due to appear in court again on June 27th.
