Photos courtesy of the NYPD
A Pelham Garden neighbor of 91-year-old, Nicholas Rappa, has reacted to the eventual arrest, on Monday, of 32-year-old Luis Bonilla for Rappa’s murder. The arrest follows a police investigation and announcement last week of a reward of $10,000 for anyone who had any information regarding the fatal incident which occurred at the senior’s home.
As reported, police arrested Bonilla, 32, of East 197th Street in Bedford Park, on Monday, Aug. 9, for the murder of the 91-year-old senior, who had been discovered by his neighbors inside the garage of his Pelham Gardens home at 2400 Wickham Avenue on Tuesday, Aug. 3. Police were alerted following the discovery of his body and later reported that Rappa had been found dead at 12:34 p.m. on the day in question.
As reported, police said Rappa had been found “unconscious and unresponsive with injuries to the head,” and had died on the property of the corner home located at Wickham Avenue and Waring Avenue.
Photo courtesy of the NYPD
“Shandra” a 20-year-old neighbor of the victim whose surname we are not disclosing, was reached by telephone on Aug. 9. “Nobody in this neighborhood has relationships,” she told the Norwood News. “Hardly anybody even says ‘hello,’ and that’s how it is.”
In reference to the seemingly peaceful, tree-lined block, she continued, “That’s why it was sad to see something bad had to happen for people to come out and get together. I saw people I never even knew lived on my block.”
Recalling her neighbor of 20 years, Shandra said, “But Nick (Rappa) was okay. He’d say ‘hello’ to you and stuff. He was a nice old man.” When told that the police had made an arrest in the case, Shandra replied, “They did? Oh beautiful! Now, that’s beautiful!” She then appeared to speak to someone with her, saying, “He said they made an arrest!”
As the woman hung up, she could be heard saying, “Oh Erica, I am so happy to hear they caught that…” before the call went dead.
Attempts to reach family members of Bonilla were unsuccessful.
As reported, on Wednesday, Aug. 4, police had released four surveillance photos of a white flatbed truck and two photos of a suspect dressed in dark work clothes and a yellow vest, safety helmet and face mask. The assailant had been described as a light-skinned adult male in his 30s with a thin build.
An accompanying video, also released by the NYPD, showed a suspect drive up to the home, walk over to it, and later showed the suspect running from the scene and tossing several bags into the back of the truck before speeding off.
On Thursday, Aug. 5, as reported, police confirmed that a combined reward of up to $10,000 had been offered to anyone who could assist with the investigation. Up to $3,500 was payable by CrimeStoppers upon arrest and indictment of the suspect, and $6,500 was payable by the NYPD upon arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the incident.
Image courtesy of Citizen App user, “darsha85,
As reported, Bonilla has been charged with murder, manslaughter, robbery and assault.
A person arrested and accused of a crime is innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.
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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.
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I know bonilla personally, we grew up together, even had a series of fisticuffs in our early twenties. The problem is that the COPS OR BETTER YET…. THE 52 PRECINCT KNEW ALL ALONG THE TYPE OF MANIAC “LULU” was, they would always respond to emergency calls to 197 st. Between Marion and Bainbridge ave. Everyone knows “LuLu” and the fact that the 52 PRECINCT allowed Him to REMAIN FREE FROM JANUARY 2021 TIL LAST WEEK IS UNBELIEVABLE. THE 52 PRECINCT HAS RECEIVED OVER 55 COMPLAINTS FROM THAT EXACT BUILDING LULU WAS RAISED IN. THE 52 PRECINCT LET THAT HAPPEN.
I know bonilla personally, we grew up together, even had a series of fisticuffs in our early twenties. The problem is that the COPS OR BETTER YET…. THE 52 PRECINCT KNEW ALL ALONG THE TYPE OF MENTAL ISSUES “LULU” HAD, they would always respond to emergency calls to 197 st. Between Marion and Bainbridge ave. Everyone knows “LuLu” and the fact that the 52 PRECINCT allowed Him to REMAIN FREE FROM JANUARY 2021 TIL LAST WEEK IS UNBELIEVABLE. THE 52 PRECINCT HAS RECEIVED OVER 55 COMPLAINTS FROM THAT EXACT BUILDING LULU GREW UP IN. THE 52 PRECINCT LET THAT HAPPEN. THEY KNEW ABOUT HIS DRUG ADDICTION, AND HIS ANTICS. AND ALSO, LULU HAS BEEN BATTLING MENTAL HEALTH SINCE A YOUNG ADOLESCENT. DOCUMENTED FACTS… SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS,, WHY WAS HE LET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY RIGHT AWAY. INSTEAD OF HAVING HIM TRANSITION FROM A MENTAL HEALTH FACILIT, WHERE EVALUATION CAN BE DONE ON HIS MENTAL STATE BEFORE ENTERING SOCIETY?
Exactly!!!!!!! Could not have said it better myself!!!! Lulu may be all that. But he’s no murderer. They needed someone to collar and he’s the perfect one in their eyes. I also know him personally. He’s my FAMILY
Has anyone noticed that the street he is on is not the street where rappa was killed??? This seems fishy to me.