Authorities in New York have arrested Felix Rojas, 44, on charges of attempted rape after surveillance footage captured him engaging in sexual acts with an unresponsive passenger on a subway train, who was later found to be deceased. Police had been searching for suspects for weeks after footage revealed two individuals robbing the victim on a train traveling from Brooklyn to Manhattan, with one of them allegedly sexually assaulting him.
Rojas was taken into custody on Sunday and has also been charged with attempted grand larceny. During his arraignment on Tuesday, Rojas did not enter a plea, and his public defender’s office stated they are investigating the circumstances of the case without providing further comments.
The incident occurred on a southbound R train near the Whitehall Street station in Manhattan. The victim had boarded the train on April 8th and remained unconscious for several hours, according to security footage. Rojas allegedly appeared on the train about half an hour later and engaged in abusive acts towards the victim, periodically stopping and resuming as other passengers boarded and exited the train.
Assistant District Attorney Antonio Melchionna stated that Rojas took advantage of the victim’s unconscious state.
A transit worker later discovered the victim’s motionless body and he was declared dead by rescue workers. However, it remains unclear when he died and the cause of death has not been disclosed.
The victim has been identified as 37-year-old Jorge Gonzalez, who had recently immigrated to the US from Mexico with his wife, Teresa, to start a new life. Gonzalez worked in construction and restaurants but struggled with alcoholism. Teresa, his estranged wife, mentioned that her 13-year-old son overheard her call with the police.
Teresa expressed shock at the graphic details surrounding her husband’s death, adding that her son now feels that he truly does not have a father.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/29/new-york-man-subway-attempted-rape
