Husband arrested in wife's death in NYC tub, after 5 years

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

NEW YORK (AP) — The estranged husband of a finance executive who was found dead in her Manhattan bathtub has been arrested on a murder charge after nearly five years of suspicions and questions about his wife's death.

Roderick Covlin (COHV'-lihn) was awaiting arraignment Monday. His lawyer, Robert Gottlieb, declined to comment ahead of court. He has said previously that the husband wasn't responsible for Shele (SHEE'-lah) Covlin's death on New Year's Eve 2009.

Investigators initially thought she had slipped and fallen. After her family objected to an autopsy for religious reasons, the cause of her death was listed as undetermined.

Her body was later exhumed with her family's permission, and medical examiners concluded in April 2010 she had been strangled.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/449f448c359a4e729fd92427e6738a4a/husband-arrested-wifes-death-nyc-tub-after-5-years

[7962]

1. Better late than never, I guess. Did the family change "religion"?

Why would they agree to it now? If they'd agreed to it at the time of death he would have likely been charged 5 yrs ago!

[dorkzilla]

3. They're Jewish-you have a set time to bury your dead

...and according to this other article I read, the autopsy was conducted shortly after (i.e. within a few months) after her death and was ruled a homicide. I guess it took this long for justice to catch up with the creep.

The relevant part is at the end of the article:

Although her family suspected foul play, Covlin was buried immediately in accordance with Jewish law. However, as friends and family voiced their suspicions publicly -- both at her funeral and afterward -- police took a second look.

A few months after she was buried, Covlin's body was exhumed at the request of prosecutors. Ultimately, the medical examiner ruled it a homicide.

http://m.nydailynews.com/news/national/parents-man-suspected-killing-wife-court-365-000-savings-account-article-1.1610085

[7962]

6. Thanks for that additional info. I wonder what took so long?

If they ruled it a homicide just a few months later and it takes 5 yrs to pin it on him?

[dorkzilla]

7. Not sure...suppose it took that long to connect the physical eidence to him

It's puzzling though...he had the motive, the time and the opportunity...I'm not seeing anything in the press that suggests a smoking gun. Seems like they should have arrested the guy years ago.

ETA found this:

Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bogdanos did not divulge what detectives uncovered to break the cold case against Covlin. Nor did he lift the veil on the six-year-long probe of 47-year-old Shele Danishefsky’s murder.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/husband-wealthy-nyc-woman-found-dead-tub-charged-article-1.2420389

[LiberalElite]

2. I bet he didn't think he'd be suspected-

because he knew the family would object to an autopsy.

[jtuck004]

4. And then, to be arrested in a bathtub... n/t

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

5. After 5 years in that tub he must be really wrinkly!