A man arrested naked at a luxury Queens apartment building where another man was found fatally stabbed in a bathtub may have met the victim through social media for a sexual encounter, according to sources.
Bretford Brewer, 36, of Brooklyn, was arrested on Aug. 1 at the Hayden building in Long Island City. Police responded to the scene just before 1 p.m. and found Brewer naked, armed with a fire extinguisher, and reportedly attempting to spray security cameras and break into an apartment. Law enforcement sources told The Post that Brewer has been charged with murder and unlawful possession of a weapon.
The victim, identified as 36-year-old Carlos Penzo, was discovered in his bathtub with multiple stab wounds to his head, face, and chest. A knife and a taser were found in the victim's lap, according to the report.
While the exact nature of the relationship between Brewer and Penzo was not immediately clear, a source indicated that the victim may have connected with Brewer online for a hookup, and that the homicide may have followed a verbal argument.
The incident occurred in a high-rise building where two-bedroom apartments are listed for over $6,000 per month. This stabbing comes as the city recorded its lowest number of murders in the first half of a year, with 122 homicides through the end of June, surpassing the previous record set in 2017.