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COURIER L 14 IFE, FEBRUARY 7-13, 2020
Police arrested the alleged murderer of Antonio Litman in January. Photo by Todd Maisel
ARSONIST
ARRESTED
Police cuff alleged pyro who
killed Fort Greene philanthropist
BY TODD MAISEL
Police arrested an alleged arsonist
who set a massive fi re and killed a local
philanthropist in Fort Greene in January.
The 33-year-old suspect allegedly
set the inferno at a three-story Adelphi
Street building between Willoughby
and Dekalb avenues at around 3:20 am,
before fl eeing the scene, according to police.
Firefi ghters eventually quashed the
blaze and found 55-year-old Antonio Litman
dead in the building’s vestibule, according
to authorities.
Emergency medical personnel
quickly discovered multiple puncture
wounds to the deceased victim’s neck
and chest, according to offi cials, who
said that the medical examiner will determine
whether Litman died from the
fi re or from stab wounds.
Litman, who made a living buying
and selling cargo ships, was the
founder of Virginia’s House of Hope —
a non-profi t responsible for distributing
food, clothing and school supplies
to more than 10,000 families, according
to friends and family, who said that Litman
was also very active in his community.
“He would give you the shirt off his
back,” said Litman’s cousin, Felicia
Geddis. “He was the beacon in our family
who cared about everyone…Antonio,
was every bit of happiness to our lives.”
Geddis claimed that, while they were
technically cousins, her and Litman
were raised together almost like brother
and sister.
“The suspect took one of the best
people you can ever know, my brother,
and there’s no reason for it,” she said.
Offi cers cuffed the victim on Jan. 29
and took him to the 88th police precinct
in Fort Greene, where they charged him
with second-degree murder and seconddegree
arson, according to police.
The distressed suspect, whose listed
residence is a homeless shelter on Wards
Island, yelled at gathered reporters as
he was led out of the station house in
handcuffs.
“I was his friend!” said the man.
Police have not publicly released a
motive, and the investigation remains
ongoing.
In the meantime, Litman’s family
and friends were left grieving the loss of
their selfl ess acquaintance.
“Giving was his passion, he cared
about the homeless, children, for his
foundation, his neighbors, he would
give bags of groceries,” Geddis said. “He
was such a caring person, it’s just too
much.”
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