Cops arrested an ex-con for allegedly dumping a woman's body in a sleeping bag on a Manhattan sidewalk. Yazmeen Williams' body was discovered next to trash bags on East 27th Street earlier this month.55-year-old Chad Irish was charged with hiding the corpse of Yazmeen, having an illegal weapon and menacing.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at a briefing that the surveillance footage shows the man in a wheelchair dragging the body. "We backtracked that video to the Strauss Houses to where our eventual perpetrator, Chad Irish, is removing the package, sleeping bag, from the location in his wheelchair," Kenny stated.
Though Irish hasn't been charged with killing Williams, he's the main suspect under investigation. The coroner found that the cause of death of Williams was a shot in the head, which killed her.
According to Kenny, Williams and Irish were acquaintances.
"I'm not sure if their relationship was romantic or if it was more for convenience," the chief said. "She would just stay with him. I'm sure there was some narcotics arrangement involved."
Irish has 21 priors. Back in 1994, Irish spent 3 years upstate for trying to set fire to his uncle's Bronx house by creating an explosion.
When police brought Irish out of the Straus Houses, an NYCHA complex, on a stretcher, dozens of residents confronted him. Video footage shows at least one person striking Irish as others shouted at him.
Nicole Williams, the victim's mother, was present during the confrontation. She had previously told The New York Post she believed her daughter's killer was a friend who uses a wheelchair.
Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer revealed in the briefing that Yazmeen was set to begin a job with the city Department of Housing Preservation and Development. "It hits home," Torres-Springer said. "While she has not yet been a public servant, I think the entire city feels for her."
Mayor Adams called the crime "horrific" and said Irish should be "lucky" the NYPD arrested him before the angry residents could.
Irish has a twin - a brother with the same name who's also got a rap sheet. The brother is currently on parole for robbery and assault.
Irish's mother, Theresa Irish, expressed to The New York Post sorrow over the situation as the investigation continues. "I'm just praying for us all, asking God to get us through this," she said. "I am praying for my son, I'm praying for the young lady."
Police are continuing to investigate the homicide as they build their case. The charges currently filed against Irish are not directly related to Yazmeen's death but stem from outstanding warrants from a previous incident.