Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Suspects Blame Each Other for Murder of Queens Teacher, Cops Say

By Aidan Gardiner | March 22, 2013 2:25pm | Updated on March 22, 2013 6:09pm

EAST ELMHURST — The two men charged with killing middle school teacher David Rangel are blaming each other for the brutal murder and theft of his iPad and cellphone, court documents show.

Cecil Golden and Elijah Agyepong both told investigators they entered Rangel's apartment building at 32-23 91st St. on Jan. 25 and went to Rangel's apartment, Golden taking the elevator and Agyepong taking the stairs, according to the criminal complaint filed in Queens Criminal Court.

But their stories diverge from there.

Golden claims he heard Rangel's screams echoing through the hallway when he exited at the third floor, according to the complaint. He told investigators he raced to the apartment door and saw Agyepong slug Rangel before putting him into a chokehold and slamming him onto the floor.

a"Where is the money at," Agyepong shouted, according to Golden's account in the documents.

Golden allegedly told Agyepong that Rangel kept his money in the bank, prompting Agyepong to grab a couch and place it on his victim's legs, according to documents.

On his way out, Agyepong swiped the victim's iPad and cellphone, Golden claimed in court records.

But Agyepong had a different story, claiming that he heard the screams as he approached the apartment, where he found Golden had already placed the couch on top of Rangel, according to documents.

Agyepong told investigators that Golden rummaged through Rangel's things while wearing blood-spattered black gloves, shoving the iPad and cellphone into his backpack along with other electronics, according to court records.

Rangel, an English and Spanish teacher at M.S. Paul Klapper in Flushing, was discovered two days later, still lying beneath the couch in the middle of a ransacked and blood-spattered apartment, documents show.

Both Golden and Agyepong are charged with murder and robbery. If convicted, they face up to 25 years to life in prison.