WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — A man was arrested for murdering his roommate in a dispute over $4,000 rent, police said.
Peter Rodriguez, 25, was arrested Wednesday night and charged with the murder of Val Steiner, 57, police said. Police said Rodriguez, who recently moved into the apartment on 213 Bennett Ave., paid Steiner $4,000 for a room and wanted his money back.
"It became an argument, and he was stabbed to death," NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said on Thursday. "The one roommate stabbed the other one to death."
Steiner was found inside the apartment on Wednesday around 10 p.m., after police received a call from a man who said he'd killed someone at the location, the NYPD said.
Police charged Rodriguez Thursday night, after questioning him in relation to the incident Thursday morning.
According to police, two knives were recovered at the scene, although they couldn’t confirm if these were used to kill Rodriguez.
The district attorney's office said Rodriguez hadn't yet been arraigned as of Friday morning.