New York 'Suitcase Slayer' Confesses to Killing Woman, 28

An East Harlem man caught on video disposing of a woman's body stuffed inside a suitcase, confessed to smashing his victim with a frying pan and then used an electric cord to strangle her after he caught her trying to steal his money, police sources said.

Hassan Malik, 55, who has a long rap sheet including assault, aggravated harassment, robbery and drugs, was picked up around 1:30 p.m. on Monday in an apartment in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.

In a written and videotaped confession, he copped to the strangulation slaying of Betty Williams, 28, sources said.

He told police he paid the victim for sex, but afterwards caught her taking money in his fourth floor apartment on Pleasant Avenue, so he killed her, other law enforcement sources said.
Malik was arraigned this afternoon and held without bail.

According to the criminal complaint, Malik portrayed the killing as self-defense. He said he did it because Williams "struck him with a frying pan twice on his shoulder."

Malik said he took the pan and hit her twice in the head, according to the criminal complaint.

After hitting her, Malik said the woman wrapped an electric cord around his neck -- but he took it and used it to strangle her, causing her "to pass out."

When Malik walked out of the 23rd Precinct stationhouse early today he told reporters he was "sorry" for what he did.

The break in the case came after a tipster saw the chilling video that shows the alleged assailant casually wheeling a suitcase to a spot on East 114th Street near First Avenue by his home.

Williams, who has 14 arrests, mostly for drugs, was found fully clothed inside the suitcase on Dec. 22 by a neighborhood resident who opened the bag and saw a leg pop out.