NEW YORK, NY — Police say a 63-year-old woman was found unconscious in Central Park on Sunday morning with trauma to the head, and the case quickly turned into a murder arrest. Officers responded to a call about an unconscious person near East Drive and East 74th Street at about 9:43 a.m.
When police arrived, they found the victim and later determined she had suffered multiple stab wounds to the body. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities arrested Jonathan Robles, 36, and charged him with murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
Police found the victim near East Drive and East 74th Street
The discovery came in the heart of Manhattan’s most famous park, in an area that draws runners, walkers and tourists throughout the day. Police did not immediately release any additional details about what led officers to the scene or what they saw when they arrived.
What investigators have confirmed is that the woman was unconscious when first found, and that her injuries were serious enough that she died at the location. The NYPD later said the death involved multiple stab wounds, adding a clearer picture of the violence that unfolded before the morning call came in.
Jonathan Robles faces murder and weapon charges
Authorities identified the arrested man as Jonathan Robles, 36. Police charged him with murder and criminal possession of a weapon after taking him into custody.
No further information was released about how officers connected Robles to the killing, and police have not said whether a weapon was recovered. Officials also have not released any statement about whether the arrest happened in the park, nearby, or at another location.
The victim’s identity has not been released
Police have not publicly named the woman who died. At this point, the only confirmed details are that she was 63 years old and was found in Central Park with trauma to the head before the NYPD later confirmed stab wounds.
Investigators have also not said whether the woman and Robles knew each other. That relationship remains unknown, and police have not described a possible motive. Those unanswered questions are likely to be central as the case moves forward.
A fast-moving case in a heavily used park
Central Park is one of New York City’s busiest public spaces, and a violent death there tends to draw immediate attention. Sunday’s discovery near East Drive and East 74th Street places the case in a well-traveled section of the park on the Upper East Side.
Even as investigators began sorting out the sequence of events, the initial call to police points to how quickly the scene escalated from a report of an unconscious person to a homicide investigation. The morning timing also means the area would have been active when officers arrived.
What police have said and what remains unknown
The NYPD has confirmed three core facts: the victim was 63, she was found unconscious around 9:43 a.m., and she later died at the scene from multiple stab wounds. Police also say Robles was arrested and charged in connection with the killing.
Beyond that, several key details remain open. Authorities have not said what sparked the attack, how long the woman had been injured before help arrived, or whether additional evidence links Robles to the crime. For now, the case centers on a single brutal morning encounter in Central Park and the arrest that followed.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
