Reward offered in case of murdered Queens runner
NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - The NYPD is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person who strangled and raped Karina Vetrano, 30, in Howard Beach, Queens.
The 30-year-old was an avid runner, particularly around the running paths near Gateway National Recreation Area, where she was found dead late Tuesday night.
A wake was held for her on Friday and her funeral was on Saturday.
The FBI joined the investigation because she was found in a marsh on federal land.
Vetrano's father, a retired FDNY firefighter, reported her missing to police at about 7 p.m. when she hadn't returned home from her run about two hours earlier.
Her body was found, face down, at about 9 p.m., 15 feet from the running trail in Spring Creek Park, Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said. Her cell phone was discovered in the brush, according to the NYPD.
An autopsy showed that she died from strangulation. Police said her attacker severely beat her. Evidence suggests she tried to fight off her attacker, police said.
Chief Boyce said that Vetrano was texting a friend as she was running. He added that detectives were examining security camera video for signs of a suspect.