THE BRONX — A man with an extensive criminal history was arrested over the weekend for killing a 76-year-old man during a December robbery, police said.
Angel Caba, 45, who's been arrested 17 times, attacked Gilberto Silva, 76, about 4:40 a.m. Dec. 23, cutting the back of his head and rummaging through his pockets with two other men, NYPD officials said.
He's also accused of shoving another man in his 70s down a flight of stairs Thursday, police said.
Silva suffered a deep cut along the back of his head and was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital where he died on Feb. 5. His death was reclassified a homicide on June 10.
Last Thursday, Caba attacked another man, 74, in the stairwell of a building near Crotona Avenue and Claremont Parkway about noon, police said.
Caba, who can be seen in surveillance footage released by police Friday, shoved the man down a flight of stairs, tried to rob him and kicked him before fleeing the scene, police said.
He told police he was asleep in the doorway of a check cashing business where he had been asking for quarters when a companion of the victim told him to get out of the way.
Caba said he followed the elderly man up to the building, and then claimed he blacked out and pushed him. He also denied stealing anything from the victim, according to court papers.
"I felt people were picking on me, so I followed the old man," Caba said to police. "I didn't rob the old man. I didn't take anything, so I don't know why it's a robbery."
Caba, who lives in the neighborhood, was arrested Saturday, police said.
He was charged with murder on the same day, police said.
Two men originally wanted by police for questioning were seen standing over Silva while he was unconscious, and a third man was seen walking with his jacket.
An NYPD spokeswoman Sunday could not immediately confirm whether police were still looking for the other men.
On Saturday, Caba was also charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, officials said.
He was charged Sunday with the attempted robbery, officials said.
Caba was arraigned on Monday and ordered held without bail, and he is due back in court on Aug. 19, according to the Bronx District Attorney's Office.
