87-Year-Old Ex-Convict Harvey Marcelin On Trial Accused Of Dismembering Brooklyn Woman

An 87-year-old former convict, Harvey Marcelin, is standing trial in Brooklyn on charges that he murdered and dismembered 68-year-old Susan Leyden in 2022. Prosecutors say Leyden was last seen entering Marcelin's apartment on Feb. 27, 2022; portions of her body were later recovered from a rolling bag and from inside Marcelin's unit.

Allegations and Evidence

According to prosecutors, Leyden's torso — missing its head and limbs — was discovered in a grey-and-black rolling bag on an East New York street corner on March 3, 2022. Investigators allege surveillance footage shows someone wheeling that same bag from Marcelin's building during the days between Leyden's disappearance and Marcelin's arrest on March 4, 2022. Prosecutors also say footage captured Marcelin buying a reciprocating saw, towels and cleaning supplies, and later cleaning a kitchen mat in his building's laundry room that appeared stained with blood.

When police executed a search warrant at Marcelin's apartment, prosecutors say they found the unit stained with blood and recovered additional body parts, including Leyden's head, in the bathroom. A black plastic bag containing a severed left leg matching Leyden was reportedly found nearby in the days after her disappearance.

Charges and Courtroom Details

Marcelin has been charged with first- and second-degree murder, concealment of a human corpse and tampering with physical evidence. He pleaded not guilty and, at trial, asked to be referred to as "Mr. Harvey." The trial began April 20 in Brooklyn Supreme Court, where Marcelin was seen being brought into court in a wheelchair.

Defense Theory

Marcelin's attorneys with Brooklyn Defender Services contend another woman, Lisa Lindahl, was present in the apartment between Leyden's last confirmed sighting and the discovery of the body parts. Lindahl—who defense counsel says met Marcelin while homeless and struggling with addiction—appears on some related surveillance footage and is expected to figure prominently in witness testimony. Defense lawyers also say DNA from an unidentified person was found on a hammer and under Leyden's fingernails and argue that the NYPD did not test that DNA against Lindahl.

Past Convictions

Prosecutors and records show Marcelin has a long criminal history. In 1963 he was convicted of first-degree murder in the killing of Jacqueline Bonds and was sentenced to life, later being paroled in 1984. He was later implicated in the death of Ana Laura Sierra; charged with murder, he ultimately pleaded to manslaughter and served more than three decades before being paroled in 2019. Those prior convictions and paroles have been noted by both the prosecution and defense in court proceedings.

What Is At Issue

The trial will hinge on surveillance video, alleged forensic evidence, witness testimony (including Lindahl's role) and competing explanations from prosecutors and defense attorneys. Prosecutors have described the injuries in graphic terms in opening statements; defense counsel disputes Marcelin's culpability and highlights evidence that may suggest another person was involved.

Note: All allegations described here are those brought by prosecutors. Marcelin has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.