39-year-old Brooklyn resident Menechem Stark was kidnapped and murdered late last Thursday, and his partially charred body was found in a dumpster at a Getty gas station in Great Neck. Stark was accosted by two people who dragged the father of 8 Hasidic man into a "2006 or 2007 Dodge Caravan, on Rutledge St.," according to CBS2 News.
Stark was found just before 4 p.m. last Friday.
Police released surveillance video of the minivan used in the abduction.
Stark's bad reputation as a Brooklyn landlord may have contributed to a contract killing, according to law enforcement
"He had $51 million that he owed in monies, in foreclosures. We don't know about other cash on the street that he borrowed, and finagled," said Channel 11's crime consultant Wally Zeins.
The NYPD are conducting further investigation for possible motives in a case involving "kidnapping, torture and murder."
"We're going to look into the people who were his tenants because they kept calling him a slum lord; they kept saying he was a terrible landlord," Zeins said.
"They're going to look into the different Hasidic groups, religious groups. They have the Satmyrs and the Lubavitch. They're going to look if there was any animosity between them... They're going to see if they had money on the street. And they are also going to look into the homicide; this was like a contract killing," added Zeins in the televised interview.
"Any number of people wanted to kill this guy," added another law-enforcement source.
The investigation as to what led to Stark's killing is ongoing but a New York Post headline over the weekend sparked outrage from community leaders.
On Sunday, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams joined Jewish groups to condemn The New York Post's coverage of Stark's murder, mainly for its insensitive headline which read: "Who Didn't Want Him Dead?"
All in attendance at Borough Hall on Sunday demanded a retraction and apology from The Post.
"In America, if you are a bad landlord, you go to housing court not the morgue," said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.
"Clearly no one should act as judge and jury. And clearly not The New York Post," added Public Advocate Letitia James.
"The Post does say Mr. Stark deserved to die but our reporting showed that he had many enemies which may have led to the commission of this terrible crime," the newspaper said in response.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this time of loss. "
Jewish leaders also announced a $11,000 reward for information to lead to the arrest and conviction for Stark's murder.
