Teenage suspect seen walking on foot covered in blood after allegedly subduing his stepfather

A 19-year-old who murdered his stepfather with a hacksaw has been arrested on charges of aggravated murder, police sources have said.

Damien Herstel was wearing a Tyvek suit and was still covered in blood as he walked out of the police station in Staten Island on Tuesday New York Post. He is expected to be charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon in the death of a 45-year-old man.

The victim, who sources say was a retired New York City sanitation worker, was found dead around 4:30 p.m. Monday in a bathtub inside a home on Cary Avenue in the West Brighton section of Staten Island. He had multiple stab wounds to the head and neck. Police sources said his head was removed with a hacksaw. PIX11 News.

Herstel, who was taken into custody the same day, reportedly has a history of mental illness and is believed to be schizophrenic, according to a property manager who spoke to local news.

Police told ABC7 The suspect’s 16-year-old sister arrived home from school to the grim scene. He found blood in several rooms throughout the house before discovering the victim’s body in the bathtub.

The suspect reportedly told his sister he “did something bad,” sources said. The New York Post.

According to the property manager, the victim was a retired employee of the New York Department of Sanitation. A friend of the victim said he was forced to go on disability due to severe vision loss Post.

Two friends of the victims, Louis Ortiz, 47, and Donna Ortiz, 46, said Post He saw the news of the murder and reached his home.

“This is a crime scene. It’s crazy,” Lewis said. “I can’t even believe I was looking at my friend’s house on the TV screen. And I had to get up and run here because I didn’t want to believe it was true until I saw it with my own eyes.”

“It wasn’t worth it to happen to him,” Donna said. “He was just going to retire and live his life the best way he could.”

Luis described the suspect as “sweet as pie” and often played video games with Donna’s stepson.

Both Louis and Donna, who said she worked at a psych center, called out the city over how it handles people with mental health issues.

“The guy was always going through stuff at school. Mental health issues,” Lewis said. “The city’s got to do more with mental health.”

Donna added of her friend, “If the city dealt with mental health, he would still be alive.”