Cops: Lots Of Evidence In NYC Slay

Darryl Littlejohn has pleaded not guilty to first- and second-degree murder charges in the slaying of 24-year-old New York grad student Imette St. Guillen, who was found raped, bound and strangled in Brooklyn last month.

"Imette St. Guillen's horrific murder will not go unpunished," District Attorney Charles Hynes said in announcing the three-count indictment against Littlejohn, 41.

Littlejohn, who was being held on a parole violation while police built their case, was a bouncer at The Falls bar in Manhattan, where St. Guillen was last seen alive on Feb. 25th.

Hynes says Brooklyn prosecutors have never handled a crime "where there has been so much forensic evidence as the foundation."

There's so much evidence, says Hynes, that he thinks "someday this case is going to be taught at law school as a particularly special example of forensic testimony."

After the hearing, St. Guillen's sister wept as she read a statement thanking police for their efforts. St. Guillen was from Boston.

"New York was Imette's home," Alejandra St. Guillen said. "She loved the city and its people ... Imette was a good person, a kind person. Her heart was full of love. With Imette's death, the world lost someone very special too soon."

Police say DNA from the ties that bound the victim's hands link Littlejohn to her murder.

Police also say fibers discovered on the tape that was on St. Guillen's head when her body was found dumped in Brooklyn are consistent with fibers with three items in Littlejohn's apartment.

"This is an unusual finding, put it that way," said NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly, outlining forensic evidence including "polyester rug fiber from carpeting of Littlejohn's residence along with brown mink hair from a jacket of his residence, and blue rabbit hair from a jacket collar in his residence are consistent with rug fiber, mink and rabbit hair that were found on the tape used on Imette's head."

Investigators furthermore maintain that cell phone transmissions show Littlejohn's phone was used to make a call from near the spot where the body was dumped, only an hour before it was discovered.

Kelly also says that an eyewitness has reported seeing a van - resembling one belonging to Littlejohn - making a U-turn at the place where the victim was found, not long before police found her.

A law enforcement source quoted by the New York Times says police have been focusing on the basement of Littlejohn's home as one place where the assault on St. Guillen might have happened.

If convicted, Littlejohn would face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

In an exclusive interview with WCBS-TV reporter Scott Weinberger, Littlejohn said from jail that police have "the wrong person" and he did not kill St. Guillen, although he did escort her from the bar at closing time, as he would anyone still on the premises at that time of night.

"The focus really shouldn't be on me, it should be on them finding who is really responsible for this young lady's tragic death," said Littlejohn, in the jailhouse interview broadcast Wednesday night.

Kevin O'Donnell, Littlejohn's attorney, has said that Littlejohn is being made a scapegoat because police have not been able to find the real killer.

"He continues to maintain his innocence," said O'Donnell, after Thursday's arraignment. "That's why he entered the plea of not guilty."

A manager at the Manhattan bar where St. Guillen was last seen alive has confirmed Littlejohn's story about escorting her of the bar at closing time — but the manager also told police he remembers hearing Littlejohn and St. Guillen arguing as they left.

Littlejohn says he has cooperated with the police from the beginning of the investigation and voluntarily gave authorities a DNA sample.

Littlejohn has a long rap sheet including robbery, drug and gun convictions, beginning at age 17, when he robbed someone with a shotgun. Over the years, he was convicted on drug and gun charges using names like Darryl Banks, John Handsome and Jonathan Blaze — the name of a comic book character.

Asked why police consider him a suspect, Littlejohn says it is "because I have a criminal background and I wasn't supposed to be there working."

"She was going on with her life to become, you know, somebody in this world and the family has to be devastated. I'm truly, I'm truly sorry what happened to this young lady, but they (police) have the wrong person," said Littlejohn.