20 MARCH 23, 2017 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM Cop from Maspeth who helped crack the Karina Vetrano case honored BY ANTHONY GIUDICE AGIUDICE@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM @A_GIUDICEREPORT An NYPD lieutenant who helped make an arrest in the sixmonth long investigation into the murder of Howard Beach jogger Karina Vetrano was honored by his hometown residents in Middle Village on Thursday night. Lieutenant John Russo, who grew up in the Maspeth and Middle Village areas and now lives in Howard Beach, received the Juniper Park Civic Association’s (JPCA) hero award during the March 16 session at Our Lady of Hope School. Russo used his intuition to remember a person he saw lurking around Spring Creek Park months before Vetrano’s body was found at the location on Aug. 2, 2016. After scouring records, Russo found a name connected to the summons handed out to the suspicious character, Chanel Lewis, 20, of East New York, Brooklyn. Lewis was taken into custody in February, and a DNA sample matched the evidence found on Vetrano’s body and at the crime scene. Lewis was charged with Vetrano’s murder on Feb. 6. “Here’s a guy, a great detective, did his homework, had a hunch and it paid off ,” said JPCA President Robert Holden in presenting Russo with the group’s newly created Hero Award. “This will be a hero award that we’re going to give in your honor every year to an outstanding offi cer in the city of New York.” Russo thanked the communities for their support in not only providing hundreds of tips in the Vetrano case, but for helping the police department on many cases by having a working relationship with the NYPD and the offi cers. “I was born in Maspeth; I spent the fi rst half of my life hanging out in Maspeth; and then as a teen I spent most of my teenage years in Juniper Park,” Russo told attendees. “So I have a strong connection to this neighborhood. I moved to Howard Beach recently, and now, like this community, I’m a member of that community.” Deputy Inspector Mark Wachter, commanding officer of the 104th Precinct which covers Maspeth and Middle Village, praised Russo and his tireless work ethic which led to the big break in the Vetrano case. “This is a true example of one small piece of evidence that leads to an arrest,” Wachter said. “Out of probably millions and millions of things that these detectives looked at, one thing led to the arrest of the suspect. It’s a testament to the work of the work the Detective Bureau does every day.” Photo by Anthony Giudice/THE COURIER Lieutenant Commander John Russo was honored with the 2017 Hero Award for helping to break the Karina Vetrano case. MIDDLE VILLAGE PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL Middle Village Preparatory Charter School PO Box 790224 info@middlevillageprep.org Middle Village, NY, 11379 Robotics Earth Day Middle Village Preparatory Charter School Q38 Q54 Q67 All Faith Cemetery BJ’s Toys R Us train middlevillageprep.org Applications will be available online February 1st, 2017 Lottery to be held on April 6th, 2017 at 7pm Charter Schools are Non-Traditional Public Schools Charter Schools Help Students Achieve Charter Schools Give Parents a Choice Charter Schools Have the Freedom to Teach in an Innovative Environment Charter Schools Serve All Students All applications for incoming 6th Grade students are due by April 3rd, 2017 Preference given to students living in District 24 and children of MVP Employees
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