By Ivan Pereira
The Brooklyn rape suspect who killed his alleged victim to stop her from testifying was convicted of murder Thursday, the Queens district attorney said.
Hemant K. Megnath, 32, of 914 Hart Street in Brooklyn, faces life in prison without parole when he is scheduled to be sentenced next month for his conviction on first-degree murder, DA Richard Brown said. Megnath, a Guyanese immigrant, slashed the throat of Natasha Ramen, 20 as she was leaving her Hollis home on March 15, 2007.
Ramen, also a Guyanese national, was scheduled to testify against Megnath in a rape trial in Brooklyn Supreme Court, Brown said.
“In trading her life for what he thought would be his freedom, he must now be sentenced to the maximum of life in prison without the possibility of parole,” the DA said in a statement.
Megnath was free on bail while awaiting his Brooklyn trial during the time he killed Ramen, according to Brown.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4546.
