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Karina Vetrano: Man, 22, found guilty of murder and rape of woman jogging home in New York

The convicted killer now faces a life prison sentence without parole

Sarah Harvard
New York
Tuesday 02 April 2019 17:38 BST
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Karina Vetrano, 38, was killed while jogging by herself in Queen.
Karina Vetrano, 38, was killed while jogging by herself in Queen. (Facebook / Karina Vetrano Petition)

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A 22-year-old man has been found guilty of murdering and raping a female runner in New York City in August 2016.

Chanel Lewis now faces a life prison sentence without parole. His sentence hearing will take place later this month.

Karina Vetrano, 38, was killed while jogging alone in Queens.

The New York Police Department found DNA samples on her body that connected her murder and sexual assault to Lewis after a months-long investigation.

The conviction is from a retrial since Lewis’s first trial resulted in a hung jury.

In the latest trial, Lewis’s defence called for another mistrial, arguing that the defendant’s confession was coerced. The judge rejected their motion.

Ms Vetrano typically went on runs with her father Philip, but on the day of her murder, he stayed behind due to an injury.

Mr Vetrano discovered her body in a nearby marshland. He said there was “jubilation” after Lewis was convicted.

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