Surveillance Photo Of Michael Roque. Photo Credit: New York State University Police at Binghamton
Michael M. Roque, 20, a Binghamton University student, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the death of Joao Souza, 19, an engineering student at the university.
Roque was being held late Monday night, April 16, at the Broome County jail. He has been assigned a public defender and pled not guilty to the charges.
via Newsday
“We absolutely believe this is not a random act,” Broome County District Attorney Stephen Cornwell Jr. told reporters after Roque’s arrest.
Souza was attacked about 10:30 p.m. Sunday inside the Windham Hall residence hall, authorities said.
Police took Roque into custody after university officials on Monday released surveillance photos of the suspect, his head covered by a hoodie. A university tweet asked people to be on the lookout for a male in a dark Puma hooded sweatshirt and dark pants.
Monday night, Binghamton University’s police chief tweeted that a suspect was in custody.
“There is no active threat to the campus, but we will maintain additional police patrols tonight,” the tweet said. “Thank you to everyone who provided tips and info.”
Souza was from Brazil, university officials told reporters at a Monday news conference.
“I am deeply saddened to write to you regarding last night’s stabbing that led to the death of one of our students, Joao Souza,” Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger said. “The entire campus mourns for him. Our sympathies go out to his friends and family, as well as to his classmates and peers.”
The fatal stabbing comes just over a month after the killing of a nursing student from Long Island, Haley Anderson, 22.
Anderson was strangled on March 9 in the off-campus apartment of another fellow student she had briefly dated. Orlando E. Tercero, 22, was charged in her death, and fled to his native Nicaragua where he is currently being detained. U.S. authorities are working to bring him back to New York to stand trial.
