Woman Killed Newton Man After He Discovered She Had Been Forging Checks, DA Says

A girl has been arrested in reference to the alleged homicide of a 65-year-old man from Newton, Massachusetts, Middlesex District Legal professional Marian Ryan introduced Wednesday.

Ryan stated 43-year-old Xiu Fang Ke was arrested Wednesday for killing Leonard Garber in his house on Mt. Vernon Terrace. She was arraigned on Wednesday afternoon in Newton District Court docket.

Prosecutors stated after Garber’s physique was discovered, Ke was referred to as to police headquarters, the place she confessed.

“Through the interview the defendant admitted that she had stolen checks from Leonard Garber and that she had killed him,” Assistant District Legal professional Julie Kunkel stated in courtroom Wednesday. “She later acknowledged that she had used a hammer and hid his physique within the location the place it was finally discovered by police.”

The district lawyer stated the investigation that led to Ke’s arrest started on Monday when police obtained telephone calls from family and friends of Garber saying that he was somebody who stored in common contact with individuals however hadn’t been heard from because the finish of final week.

Police went to the home Monday and once more early Tuesday. After they returned to the house Tuesday afternoon, Ryan stated they discovered Garber’s physique wrapped in a curtain underneath development supplies and a number of other different heavy gadgets within the entrance hallway of the house. She stated it appeared the physique had been there for over a day and had been positioned in a method to conceal it from individuals coming into the house.

Xiu Fang Ke, 43, was arrested Wednesday for killing Leonard Garber in his house on Mt. Vernon Terrace. She was arraigned on Wednesday afternoon in Newton District Court docket.

Because of their investigation, Ryan stated police discovered that Garber had been spending a while these days with Ke, a former tenant of his at a special deal with. The investigation signifies that Ke had been forging checks from Garber’s accounts and had allegedly stolen over $40,000.

Prosecutors stated there may be proof that Ke had stolen checks earlier than and had playing money owed.

“She had been a tenant of his a number of years in the past at a special property, not on the home the place the incident befell. Apparently they’d been mates since that point,” Ryan stated.

She stated investigators are nonetheless wanting into whether or not the 2 might need been in a romantic relationship.

Ryan stated investigators have discovered that someday between Thursday and Saturday, Garber turned conscious of using his checks, confronted Ke about them, and she or he struck and killed him after which made efforts to cover the physique. The reason for demise has not but been decided, however Ryan stated it seems to be blunt power trauma.

Middlesex District Legal professional Marian Ryan supplies particulars on a homicide investigation in Newton.

Surveillance footage from the outside of Garber’s house confirmed a girl, later recognized as Ke, coming into the house a number of occasions within the days main as much as the invention of his physique.

Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller additionally spoke at Wednesday’s press convention, expressing her condolences to Garber’s household.

“I communicate for the individuals of Newton once I say our hearts and prayers are heavy,” she stated. “Mr. Garber was a member of our group, he attended synagogue right here, and he had mates and neighbors who cared about him.”

“Actually unhappy this might occur to Lenny,” neighbor Pat Hamilton stated Wednesday. “You by no means anticipate this kind of factor to occur to individuals you recognize.”

“When it occurs subsequent door, it is a bit bit totally different,” added Ron Cohen, one other neighbor. “My spouse had a tough time with it, awoke crying.”

Fuller stated Ke can also be recognized in the neighborhood, and referred to as this “a disturbing and tough time” for individuals who know her. She stated there isn’t any recognized hazard to Newton residents, as this doesn’t seem to have been a random act.

The case was investigated by the Middlesex District Legal professional’s Workplace, state police and Newton police.