A Brooklyn man has been charged with the gruesome murder of Karina Vetrano, six months after she was found dead in Queens.
Chanel Lewis, 20, was arraigned in Queens criminal court Sunday evening, a day after after he was arrested by authorities on Saturday night.
Police say that at this time they do not believe the East New York resident knew Vetrano before the attack.
Vetrano, 30, disappeared while out for a run near her home in Howard Beach in August.
Her body was discovered in a marshy area near the Belt Parkway
The medical examiner says she was sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled.
Police say Lewis made detailed, incriminating statements, and that DNA found on Vetrano's body ties him to the crime.
"Karina helped us identify this person," said NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce. "She had the DNA under the nails, she had touch DNA on her back, and there was more DNA on the cell phone, so three instances, that’s how we were able to bring this profile up."
Investigators say Lewis willingly gave them a DNA sample.
They say they initially keyed in on him after finding a 911 call from May of last year about a man acting suspiciously.
Police also say Lewis was issued several summonses near the crime scene.
Lewis is scheduled to be back in court on February 21.