Yonkers, New York – Investigators in Yonkers, New York, have arrested and charged suspect, 40-year-old, Muhammad Aadil in connection with the gruesome discovery of a dismembered and burned body found in a shopping cart under a Yonkers bridge. They claim the suspect allegedly murdered his 46-year-old roommate, Lutalo Henderson, chopped up his body, lit the parts on fire, and left them in a shopping cart at under the Oak Street Bridge under the MetroNorth train station.
On August 5th, around 2 a.m., firefighters responded to reports of a fire under the Oak Street Bridge, near the Yonkers-Mount Vernon border. After extinguishing the flames, they made a discovery: the shopping cart contained human remains. The body was found to be handless, toothless, and severely burned which complicated the identification process.
According to law enforcement sources, surveillance video captured two men pushing a shopping cart down a street. This cart is believed to be the same one found under the bridge, allegedly containing the dismembered body.
In August, Retired NYPD Chief Terry Monahan said: “Whoever did this wanted to try their best to make sure the victim was never identified. The reason anyone would take out teeth, hands feet from an individual is to prevent identification. Once you remove the hands, you no longer can check fingerprints. You take off the teeth you can’t check dental records to see who the individual is.”
The investigation has spanned multiple locations:
Yonkers: While the body was set on fire within Yonkers jurisdiction, police have determined that the actual killing took place else where. The body was then transported in the shopping cart and left under a bridge.
The Bronx: Investigators believe the victim may have been killed at a home in the Bronx. A search warrant executed at a residence on Rogers Place in the Bronx yielded gruesome evidence:
- Human hands were discovered in a pot in the kitchen, soaking in bleach
- A leg was found in a plastic bag in the freezer
- A firearm and drug paraphernalia (cocaine, heroin) were recovered in a bedroom
Detectives from the Yonkers Police Department, in collaboration with the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, conducted a thorough investigation and forensic experts were called in to examine the remains and crime scene for any potential evidence.
Monahan continued: “The reason anyone would take out teeth, hands and feet from an individual is to prevent identification. Once you remove the hands, you no longer can check fingerprints. You take off the teeth, you can’t check dental records to see who the individual is.”
The suspect is expected to face multiple charges, including manslaughter, drug possession, criminal possession of a firearm and concealment of a human corpse. The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case and will determine the final charges to be filed.
The victim’s ex-girlfriend, Trish, 47, said she became concerned after he didn’t answer her text wishing him a Happy Birthday: “I immediately knew something was wrong. I reached out to his sister, and from then we’ve been dealing with this nightmare.”
Henderson’s sister posted to Facebook after finding out the fate of her brother, saying: “I love my brother dearly. Part of me feels missing and I’m angry. I pray they find the person who did this to him. May God have mercy on their soul.”
While an arrest has been made, police say the investigation is ongoing with Aadil’s accomplice still at large. They are urging anyone with information related to the case to come forward and contact the Yonkers Police Department.
