Teen Confesses in Newsman ’Gay Slay’ Case
Police have obtained a confession in the slaying of prominent New York newsman George Weber. A 16-year-old boy whose MySpace Page boasts that he's a "Sadomasochist" and an "adrenaline junkie" has owned up to the killing, according to media reports.
Gawker.com posted the entirely of the MySpace profile for John Katehis, a young resident of Queens, in which Katehis describes himself as being "sixteen years of age" and "enjoy[ing] long conversations, drinking, bike riding, hanging out, roof hopping, hanging off trains, any type of Parkour exercise, Extreme Violence (chaos, Anarchy, ect..) Video Games, Violent Movies and listening to my ipod."
The profile adds, "I like to do crazy and wild thingsim [sic] like an adrenaline junkie, I'm always looking for a big thrill, I'm a big risk taker and like to live life on the edge."
The profile continues, "I am an Extremist, an Anarchist,and a Sadomasochist.
"As long as you show respect for me i will show respect for you, if you disrespect me, then i will fucking break your neck."
In the case of Weber, what appeared to be a sexual encounter featuring duct tape and sadomasochistic pornography ended with about 50 stab wounds.
Many of the wounds were to Weber's head, neck, and torso, but some were to his hands and arms, perhaps the result of Weber trying to fend off the weapon.
Katehis also had an account at XTube, a video sharing site where amateur pornographic films are posted, reported Gawker.
Katehis' XTube profile said that he was older--eighteen years of age--and described the boy's hobbies as including "Buying swords, playing video games, fighting, and sex."
An array of pictures of the suspect posing with various bladed weapons was also posted online.
A March 25 New York Post article said that Katehis had confessed to the killing earlier the same day. The suspect is being held in Brooklyn, according to the article.
The Post article said that an anonymous source revealed the two had met through a Craigslist ad for violent sex that Weber had posted, and added that Katehis had a grlfriend.
The article said that Weber and Katehis had struck an agreement of sex for pay, with Weber offering a price of $60.
According to the suspect, Weber ingested alcohol and cocaine before producing a knife, evidently as part of the rough sex scenario. Katehis said that he then seized the knife and attacked the newsman, the article reported.
Weber's body was found two days later, naked from the waist down and with his ankles duct taped together, according to media sources. Water had been left running in the bathtub and the sink. Police speculated that the suspect washed up before leaving the premises, neglecting to turn off the taps before he exited.
The killing was bloody, according to media sources, with blood found on the walls of the apartment. The suspect's blood was also found at the scene, according to investigators.
The New York Daily News reported in a March 25 article that police arrested the suspect in upstate New York, where Katehis had apparently fled after the slaying.
The Daily News quoted an unnamed source as saying of the suspect, "He saw the victim's ad looking for violent sex and said, 'I can smother somebody for $60,' but it got out of hand."
The article also indicated that Katehis claimed to have "blanked out" during the course of the killing.
Email and cell phone records led police to the suspect.
Weber's family issued a statement on March 24 that read, in part, "We are devastated by the loss of George--Jordy to us."
Added the statement, "He was truly a caring person who loved and was loved by all he met.
"Jordy loved New York and its people, particularly his Carroll Gardens neighborhood.
"The outpouring of support by his friends and neighbors is a blessing to us and a testimony to his character."
1010 Wins.com noted in a March 25 article that the suspect faces being tried as an adult for the crime.
The 101o article also reported that the suspect had allegedly claimed to have taken drugs himself before killing Weber.
As previously reported at EDGE Weber had been a longtime on-air contributor for radio station WABC. After losing his job due to downsizing last year, Weber continued to freelance for ABC Radio.
Concerned co-workers notified police when they could not contact Weber. A first visit from police yielded no suspicious information, but a second visit garnered suspicious sounding facts from neighbors who mentioned hearing sounds of a struggle and water running all night in Weber's apartment.
Police then entered Weber's home and found it had been ransacked. They discovered the newsman's body in the bedroom.