The 63-year-old victim had not been publicly identified Monday as investigators worked to determine what led to the fatal encounter.
NEW YORK — Investigators were working Monday to determine what led to the killing of a 63-year-old woman found near a Central Park gazebo, as authorities withheld her identity and awaited a formal determination of her cause of death.
The woman was discovered Sunday morning near East Drive and East 74th Street, an area close to the Central Park Boathouse. Police said she appeared to have been living in the park. Jonathan Robles, 36, of Manhattan was arrested later Sunday and charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon. Police said there was no known relationship between Robles and the woman.
Police received a 911 call reporting an unconscious person at about 9:43 a.m. Officers responding to the park found the woman unresponsive with trauma to her head, and emergency medical workers pronounced her dead at the scene. Her identity was being withheld while authorities sought to notify her family.
The location became the focus of an investigation as detectives examined the area near the gazebo and worked to establish what happened before the woman died. Reports from the scene indicated that personal belongings were present around the structure, while people familiar with the area said the woman was regularly seen there.
Authorities initially described the woman as having stab wounds, but police later withdrew that account. Investigators subsequently said she had suffered head trauma, and the latest reporting indicated detectives believe she was struck in the head with a stick. The medical examiner had not yet publicly issued the official cause and manner of death.
The change in the description of the woman’s injuries underscored the developing nature of the investigation. Initial information released during breaking investigations can change as detectives examine evidence, interview witnesses and receive medical findings. Police had not publicly detailed the evidence they say connects Robles to the woman’s death.
Robles’ last listed address was the Barbour Hotel, a homeless shelter in Manhattan. He was taken into custody Sunday night and charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon. Authorities said he later surrendered to detectives and was being evaluated at a hospital before an expected arraignment. The charges are allegations and have not been proven in court.
The death was discovered as a nor’easter brought heavy rain and strong winds to the New York City region. Investigators remained at the park during the severe weather. Police have not said the storm caused the woman’s death, and the investigation shifted to a homicide case as detectives developed evidence Sunday.
Police had not announced a motive Monday or described the circumstances that brought Robles and the woman to the same area of the park. Authorities also had not said whether the two had encountered each other previously. Those unanswered questions remain central to determining what happened before the woman was found.
The victim’s name remained undisclosed pending notification of her family. Investigators were continuing to establish a timeline and motive, while the medical examiner’s findings were expected to clarify how she died. Robles remained accused of murder and criminal possession of a weapon as the case moved toward court proceedings.
Author note: Last updated September 28, 2026.