After a prolonged wait of over two decades, Suffolk County authorities have arrested Raul Ayala, now 51, for the 2003 murder of 88-year-old Edna Schubert, a case that had gone cold. Schubert, beloved in her North Bay Shore neighborhood and fondly remembered as "Grandma," was found beaten to death in her home on December 12, 2003. Due to advances in technology, retired detective Pasquale Albergo requested the reopening of the case in 2023, which led to breakthrough evidence pointing to Ayala as the suspect.
According to a report by The New York Daily News, fingerprints and DNA were crucial in linking Ayala to the murder. Improved high-definition cameras were able to capture clearer images of the prints found initially at the crime scene, which when processed through modern databases, matched Ayala's. He was believed to have been trying to burglarize the home when the incident occurred. He's been charged with first- and second-degree murder and is facing up to life in prison. DNA evidence obtained from Schubert's clothing also matched Ayala's, further cementing his connection to the crime.
Further details provided by The New York Post explain that Ayala, at the time of Schubert's death, lived merely 200 yards away and was unemployed. Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Eric Abouladfia conveyed the gravity of the crime by describing the "blunt force trauma" that led to Schubert's death, along with the extensive injuries she sustained, communicated in the arraignment.
Investigators managed to secure the decisive DNA evidence after surveilling Ayala in Georgia, where he had been residing. They collected items he discarded including drink bottles and scratch-off games, which provided the DNA sample needed to match the profile from the crime scene. Defense attorney Christopher Gioe maintains Ayala's innocence, questioning the strength of the evidence against his client. Schubert's family expressed their relief at the arraignment with her nephew describing the entire situation as "surreal," and her niece expressing gratitude that Ayala was found, as detailed by The New York Post.
