Pittsburgh man indicted in connection with New York torture-murder case

A grand jury in New York this week indicted a Pittsburgh teenager in connection with the gruesome kidnapping, torture and murder of a man found dead earlier this year in rural Potter County.

Malik Weems, 18, was indicted alongside two New York men on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and numerous counts of assault in connection with the death of 39-year-old Juan Jose Gotay, according to court documents.

Eddie Marte, 25, of New York City, was also indicted this week on the same charges. A grand jury previously indicted Thomas Bovaird, 21, of Chemung County, New York.

Human remains later identified of Gotay, of New York City, were found over an embankment along U.S. Route 6 in Potter County on April 5, according to Pennsylvania State Police. According to the Star Gazette, Chemung County District Attorney Weeden Wetmore did not elaborate on how investigators traced Gotay’s dismembered body back to those charged but noted the case was connected to the search of two homes in Elmira in May.

According to the indictments, the kidnapping, torture and murder of Gotay happened over two days at the end of January. He was allegedly kidnapped by Weems and the others and, over the course of days, shot in the left shoulder and left leg and beaten to the point of broken ribs, fingers, jaw and teeth.

The indictment alleges the suspects stabbed Gotay in the eyes with “a pointed instrument,” cut out part of his tongue and burned his ears and buttocks.

The men allegedly tied Gotay with an electrical cord and left him to die in the remote area where he was found months later.

In a separate alleged incident, Weems and Marte are accused of abducting another man in early April “with the intent to compel a third person to pay or deliver money or property for ransom,” according to the indictment.