A suspect was arrested for the crowbar beating of a Bronx man in May over a stolen moped battery, police said Wednesday.
Rafael Ortiz, 40, is being held without bail on murder and manslaughter charges for the May 5 attack on Ramon “Mundo” Luna, 37, inside the victim’s Soundview apartment.
Ortiz was arrested on November 12, but the New York Police Department did not announce his arrest until Tuesday.
Luna was found dead in her Lafayette Avenue apartment, part of NYCHA’s Clason Point Gardens, when a friend stopped by to bring her food and toiletries, said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny, in July, a week after the death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner.
Luna had five puncture wounds to his head, likely caused by a crowbar, and he also had blunt impact injuries to his face, torso and limbs, as well as several broken ribs.
It was his brother’s big heart and willingness to help people less fortunate than himself that likely sealed Luna’s fate, his sister, Denise Feliciano, told the Daily News.
“He always opened his home to people,” Feliciano said. “If you don’t have anywhere to stay, go to Mundo.”
The brutal attack began with an assault on Yullimar Valez, a 28-year-old friend of Luna, according to Kenny.
“Valez was sleeping on the second floor when two offenders, a man and a woman, entered his room and began assaulting him,” Kenny said.
Valez was accused of having had sexual relations, with some of his friends who were not present, with the attacker in the past, the chief added.
“The offender says to him, ‘D— you’re disrespecting my man,'” Kenny said.
The deranged duo beat Valez with their fists and a cane before the attacker brought Luna into the room, accused him of stealing a moped battery and beat him to death, Kenny said.
While Luna was being beaten, the attacker cut Valez’s hair with a pair of scissors. Valez suffered cuts to his face and bruises all over his body. She was treated for her injuries at Jacobi Medical Center.
Ortiz’s girlfriend has not yet been arrested.
Police said Ortiz, who lives a few blocks from the murder scene, was previously arrested for a domestic violence assault last year.
