EAST HARLEM — A man died after he was found tied up, his head slashed and his mouth taped inside his apartment on Sunday, NYPD officials said.
Phillip Erby, 72, was found lying in his East 106th Street apartment, near Second Avenue, about 8:30 p.m., police said Monday morning.
Erby was unconscious with a cut to his head after someone tied his hands together and put duct tape over his mouth, police said.
Emergency workers wheeled Erby out on a stretcher as they did chest compressions on him, neighbors said.
Erby was pronounced dead at Metropolitan Hospital, police said.
"He was a good-hearted man," said Catherine Bolletig, 53, who lived across from Erby for 15 years.
Erby endeared himself to his neighbors, buying icy treats for the kids in the summer and helping Bolletig's mom get to the hospital when she was sick, she said.
There had been no arrests as of Monday morning, police said.
It wasn't immediately clear why Erby was attacked, but police believe it may have been drug related, they said.
Bolletig didn't know if Erby had any enemies, she said.
"Hopefully, they find the man who did this to him. Very sad," Bolletig said.
