A suspect has been nabbed for the May crowbar beating death of a Bronx man 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 Nov. 12 but the NYPD didn’t announce the arrest until Tuesday.
Luna was discovered dead inside his Lafayette Ave. apartment, part of NYCHA’s Clason Point Gardens, when a friend stopped by to drop off food and toiletries, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said in July, a week after the death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner.
Luna had five puncture wounds on his head, believed to be from a crowbar, and he also had blunt impact wounds to his face, torso and limbs plus several broken ribs.
It was her brother’s big heart and willingness to help people less fortunate than himself that likely sealed Luna’s fate, his sister, Denise Feliciano, previously told the Daily News.
“He always opened his home to people,” Feliciano said. “If you don’t have nowhere to stay, go to Mundo’s house.”
The brutal attack began with an assault on Luna’s 28-year-old friend Yullimar Valez, according to Kenny.
“Valez was on the second floor sleeping when two perps, one male and one female, enter her bedroom and begin to assault her,” Kenny said.
Valez was accused of having sex, along with some of Valez’s friends who were not present, with the male attacker in the past, the chief added.
“The female perp states to her, ‘B—-es be disrespecting my man,’” Kenny said.
The unhinged duo struck Valez with their fists and a cane before the male attacker brought Luna into the room, accused him of stealing a moped battery and beat him to death, Kenny said.
As Luna was beaten, the female attacker cut off Valez’s hair with a pair of scissors. Valez suffered cuts to her face and bruising all over her 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, has one prior arrest, for a domestic violence assault last year.
