Police report: Man dismembers roommate following food dispute

Man arrested after remains found in suitcase

Christian Millet is escorted by NYPD after his arrest on Feb. 12 (WABC).

A man from New York City faced murder charges after confessing to the police that he had stabbed his roommate, dismembered him, and placed his body parts in a suitcase following an argument over food.

The suspect, Christian Millet, age 23, was interrogated by the New York Police Department when the dismembered body of his 65-year-old roommate, Edwin Echevarria, was discovered in a suitcase floating in the East River. According to WABC, a local ABC affiliate, Millet was taken in for questioning after Echevarria was identified post the finding of the suitcase on Feb. 5. In the interview, Millet allegedly disclosed details indicating his knowledge of the events, including the food-related dispute that escalated between the two individuals.

Authorities mentioned that a search warrant for the apartment in the Baruch Houses of the New York City Housing Authority led to Millet’s arrest. In the course of the investigation, he purportedly admitted to the crime, narrating an altercation that turned physical. Reportedly, Millet proceeded to stomp on Echevarria’s head, then stabbed him approximately 12 to 13 times with an ice pick before dismembering his body. Subsequently, he allegedly placed some body parts into a suitcase and discarded it into the East River.

WABC reported that inside the suitcase was Echevarria’s torso, and police were searching the city for more of his remains.

Local news outlet Gothamist spoke with Jennifer Matthews, Echevarria’s daughter, by phone. She explained that Millet was the grandson of her father’s ex-girlfriend, and he was trying to help the younger man by letting him live with him. But Matthews said the relationship allegedly became abusive, saying that she heard from relatives that Millet was beating up her father.

Matthews told Gothamist, “Last time when [Millet] left, I told my dad not to let him back in. I didn’t find out until my dad was missing that he had moved back in with my father.”

She said that at some point, Echevarria stopped answering phone calls. Missing posters that were put up following Echevarria’s apparent disappearance said that he had last been seen alive on Feb. 2.

Millet was taken into custody on Feb. 12 and charged with second-degree murder.