New video shows New York woman on run hours before murder
QUEENS, NEW YORK CITY -- For the first time, we are seeing new video of a 30-year-old woman from Queens, just hours before she was murdered.
The surveillance video shows Karina Vetrano out for her usual run in August.
Her family and police hope the video will lead to a break in the case, as her killer remains on the loose and a mystery.
With her hair pulled back, in sneakers, shorts and a workout top, it's the last known image of Vetrano.
On Monday, the TV show "Crime Watch Daily" released the video of the jogger, just hours before she was killed.
"The video is a small video that captured the victim, in this case, the day she was (sexually assaulted) and murdered," Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said.
The surveillance camera near Spring Creek Park in Howard Beach on Aug. 2 shows Vetrano around 5:46 p.m., briefly running past a parked car.
Her body would be found hours later inside the park. Police Commissioner Bratton said he's hoping the release of the video will shed new light.
"This is something that was done with approval of the family. In furtherance, to keep attention focused on this crime. I think it was provided as part of the continuing effort, along with rewards, to try and find out what happened on that day," Bratton said.
PHOTOS: Jogger killed at Howard Beach in Queens
Earlier this month, police released a sketch of a person they said they "need to talk to" in their search for Vetrano's killer.
They did not identify him as a suspect or person of interest, but said they believe he was there that day and may have information that could help the case.
So far, they've ruled out anyone who was close to Vetrano.
"At the moment, we do believe it was a stranger rape in the sense that they have very extensively looked into her relationships over time, where she worked, her boyfriend's, etc., and none of that has come to fruition as a potential actuality as it refers to the murder itself," Bratton said.
So far, DNA captured on Vetrano's phone, neck and other body parts have had no hits on any state or national database. Perhaps this video on a nationally syndicated show could help the unsolved murder.
"Nationally, even that degree of attention is welcome on our part. Not knowing who committed this crime, we never know if there is someone in Arkansas who might hear it and come forward with information," Bratton added.
