A Long Island man has been sentenced to up to life in prison for stabbing a 32-year-old man more than 150 times, leaving the victim's parents to find him dead -- naked and face down -- when they got home from a party, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Ryan Lindquist, 23, had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the June 1, 2019 stabbing death of Evan Grabelsky, who worked as a camp director for autistic children at the time of his killing.
A review of Grabelsky's laptop revealed that he and Lindquist were inside Grabelsky's home immediately before the slaying.
Further investigation found the victim and Lindquist had exchanged texts and calls confirming their intention to meet at Grabelsky's home that fatal night. A search of Lindquist's home about two weeks after the attack yielded a knife that investigators believed to be the murder weapon, according to court documents.
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Grabelsky's DNA was later confirmed to be on the knife. Lindquist, of Massapequa, was arrested by Nassau County homicide detectives two weeks after the killing.
It's not clear if authorities ever unearthed a possible motive.
"This defendant brutally murdered Evan Grabelsky, stabbing him more than 150 times, and today’s sentence ensures he will no longer pose a threat to the people of Nassau County," Nassau County District attorney Madeline Singas said. "Mr. Grabelsky dedicated his life to helping autistic children, and we extend our deepest condolences to the his family and friends as they continue to mourn his tragic loss."
