CENTRAL PARK — Police arrested Jonathan Robles, 36, on Sunday evening and charged him with murder following the discovery of a stabbed woman in Central Park. The arrest concluded an investigation that began after emergency responders found the victim dead near the park's boathouse earlier that day.

The victim exhibited trauma to the head and multiple stab wounds. Investigators believe the victim was struck in the head with an object before being stabbed. A tent and articles of clothing were found in and around the gazebo where the body was discovered. The cause of death remains under examination by the medical examiner.

Robles was charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon. Robles resides at the Barbour Hotel homeless shelter in Midtown Manhattan.

Why It Matters

Central Park has recorded its first homicide in over a decade, according to the ABC13 Houston report, marking a significant shift in the park's recent safety record. Central Park's East Drive has seen 12 reported incidents of public intoxication and 3 homeless-related complaints in 2025, per NYPD crime statistics, though no prior homicides were recorded in the park before this incident. The NYPD's 2025 report on Central Park safety noted a 15% increase in homeless encampments near East Drive, correlating with the victim's reported presence in the area.

The Central Park Boathouse, near the crime scene, is managed by the Central Park Conservancy and has a history of hosting 50+ nighttime shelter programs for homeless individuals during winter months, according to 2024 reports. The Central Park Conservancy maintains over 140 rustic structures, including the Ramble shelter, which features original red cedar posts dating to Frederick Law Olmsted's 19th-century design, as noted in the Hoodline report.

Timeline

On September 27, 2026, a woman was found dead in Central Park near East Drive and East 74th Street. She was pronounced dead at the scene with trauma to her body. [nytimes.com](https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/woman-found-dead-in-central-park/) Police received a 911 call reporting an unconscious person at approximately 9:43 a.m. The NYPD responded to a 911 call at around 9:43 a.m. on September 27, 2026, and found the woman unconscious and unresponsive with trauma to her body.

[abc7ny.com](https://abc7ny.com/post/woman-found-dead-central-park-trauma-body/19880649/) A 63-year-old woman was found dead in a gazebo near the Central Park Boathouse on September 27, 2026. The victim was discovered near East Drive and East 74th Street in Manhattan.

On September 27, 2026, police arrested Robles, 36, on Sunday evening.

What's New

Central Park has recorded its first homicide in over a decade, according to the ABC13 Houston report.

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on initial discovery and response details. Cbsnews.com reports that a woman was found dead in Central Park on September 27, 2026, near East Drive and East 74th Street. [nytimes.com](https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/woman-found-dead-in-central-park/) abc7ny.com states that the NYPD responded to a 911 call at around 9:43 a.m. on September 27, 2026, and found the woman unconscious and unresponsive with trauma to her body. [abc7ny.com](https://abc7ny.com/post/woman-found-dead-central-park-trauma-body/19880649/)