Father Of Slain Queens Jogger Pleads With Public For Help In Finding Daughter's Killer

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The father of a 30-year-old woman who was killed while out for a jog in Queens asked for the public's help Wednesday in finding his daughter's killer.

As CBS2's Hazel Sanchez reported, it was just over a week ago since Philip Vetrano discovered the body of his daughter, Karina Vetrano, in a marshy area in the Spring Creek federal park land near the Belt Parkway in Howard Beach.

The eight days that have passed have done nothing to help heal Vetrano's wounds.

"I haven't started to feel yet," he said. "I don't think that healing is anywhere in my future."

Police said Karina Vetrano was strangled and might have been sexually assaulted after going for an evening jog. Phil Vetrano said the park was a place of comfort for his daughter.

"What she always called her happy place -- that was her happy place," he said. "She felt good there. It's beautiful. It's nature."

Phil Vetrano said he routinely ran with his daughter on an unpaved recreational path in the park, but a back injury kept him at home last Tuesday.

"I didn't warn her. I said it wasn't a good idea," Phil Vetrano said. "My daughter was fearless."

And Karina Vetrano's killer remained elusive Wednesday.

Phil Vetrano, a former firefighter and Sept. 11, 2001 first responder, said family friends have set up a GoFundMe page in an effort to raise a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

"In the past years people have come up to me thanking me for my service, (saying), is there anything we can do?" he said. "Now there something you can do. Please help me now."

He said any donation was helpful.

"I'm pleading with the public, with the country -- $5, $10, whatever," he said. "We need to raise a lot of money very quickly."

As of Wednesday evening, the GoFundMe page has raised more than $145,000. More than 1,900 people had donated.

Phil Vetrano has visited the crime scene every day since his daughter's murder to speak with investigators.

"Somebody knows something," he said. "Somebody's got to say something and with this amount of money, maybe they will."

He also had a message for the killer.

"I'm sorry for you because you will pay," he said. "You will pay here, you will pay now and you will pay for an eternity. There's no way to hide. We're going to find you."

The GoFundMe effort is in addition to a separate reward being offered by police, that was doubled Tuesday to $20,000.

Police have said they are desperate for tips from the public that could help them find a suspect. Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said last week that they think her murder was random, adding "we believe there's a severe community threat."

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

In:
• Queens
• Howard Beach