NEW YORK—A suspect in the murder of Betty Williams, who was strangled and her body stuffed into a suitcase, was arrested by the 23rd precinct of East Harlem Monday. Hassan Malik is a 55-year-old man with a record of several arrests and is currently on probation.
A passerby found the suitcase Dec. 22 on E. 114th St. Ms. Williams' leg was seen sticking out of the suitcase. A surveillance camera nearby had captured a video of a man with the suitcase.
Malik's neighbors recognized him as the man in the video, according to New York Daily News. Malik, who lives a few blocks from where the suitcase was found, confessed when questioned by the police, but said the crime was in self-defense, The Associated Press reported.
At first, he said he was not at the scene when Williams died, but later said that they had a fight and Williams hit him with a pan, which he took from her and hit her in the back of the head, she later tried to strangle him with an electrical cord, which he also managed to take from her and strangled her instead. Then he put her body in the suitcase and disposed of it, he said.
According to The Associated Press, prosecutors said they have evidence to disprove Malik’s version of the story.
When asked by a reporter if he was sorry, Malik said “yes,” New York Daily News reported.
