Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of murder. Reader discretion is advised.
In May 1997, authorities discovered the body of real estate agent Michael McMorrow in the lake in Central Park. According to reports, the deceased person had cuts spanning across his back, face, neck, arms, and stomach. As the investigation progressed, police found out that the McMorrow’s killers might be teenagers. The brutal slaying is one of the featured cases in Netflix’s true crime series Homicide: New York. The episode, titled “Central Park Slaying,” is currently available to stream on Netflix.
Investigators found several wounds on Michael McMorrow’s body. The New York Times mentioned above also indicated that McMorrow’s wrist was severed and the intestines were torn loose. However, the documentary detailed the autopsy report, noting that McMorrow’s body had 30 stab wounds, along with several additional injuries. Subsequently, the medical examiners also discovered six stab wounds to the heart.
According to The New York Times, a teenager named Daphne Abdela called 911 and reported a body in a Central Park lake. As per the publication, the teenager said that one of her friends “jumped into the lake and didn’t come out.” Subsequently, authorities traced the call made by Abdela and reached her house. The media outlet reported that the police reached Abdela’s house, and after a round of questioning, she led them to the crime scene.
Police also took Christopher Vasquez into custody for the murder of Michael McMorrow. Both the culprits were 15 years of age at the time of the crime. The authorities called McMorrow’s slaying “one of the worst things” they had ever seen, per The New York Times.
How were Michael McMorrow’s killers caught?
When police reached Daphne Abdela’s house after tracing the emergency call, she was interrogated. As per The New York Times, authorities found blood on the girl’s watch and the floor of her bedroom. Citing the police’s statement, the publication also suggested that Abdela was “faking hysteria” during the questioning. Eventually, Abdela admitted that she, Christopher Vasquez, and Michael McMorrow had been drinking together before the crime happened.
Meanwhile, authorities also noted the teenagers stole money from Michael McMorrow’s wallet. The documentary revealed that the investigators found McMorrow’s wallet in Daphne’s room. Additionally, they found a knife with the victim’s DNA in Vasquez’s possession. Police arrested the duo and indicted them for murder and robbery, per The New York Times. The publication also reported that Abdela shifted the blame onto Vasquez and told the police that she tried to save McMorrow.
According to Abdela, she tried to save Michael McMorrow by giving him “cardiopulmonary resuscitation” after the stabbing. Citing her statement, The New York Times reported that Christopher Vasquez pushed her aside and slit his throat. Abdela said, “He just flipped out. He just kept stabbing him. He sliced his throat.” According to the prosecutors, the duo mutilated the victim’s body so that it would sink. Initially, it was believed that Vasquez and Abdela were friends. However, as per Abdela’s statement, they were dating each other.
Court sent Vasquez and Abdela to prison
In March 1998, Daphne Abdela pleaded guilty to manslaughter, per The New York Times. The outlet reported that the jury found Christopher Vasquez guilty of first-degree manslaughter in the Michael McMorrow murder case. As per the documentary, the jury sentenced Abdela to 39 months to 10 years in years in prison, while Vasquez received a sentence of 3 1/3 to 10 years in prison.
The true crime series reported that Vasquez and Abdela were released from prison after serving six years of their sentence. However, Abdela returned to jail after violating her parole and served a full sentence, per the series.
