Man Who Slayed 6-Year-Old Boy In Brooklyn Elevator Convicted: DA

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — A man has been convicted of killing one child and brutally stabbed another in a Brooklyn public housing elevator four years ago, according to prosecutors.

A jury found Daniel St. Hubert, 31, guilty of murdering P.J. Avitto, 6, and attempting to murder Mikayla Capers, now 11, after a two-week trial in Brooklyn Criminal Court, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office.

St. Hubert had a steak knife with him when followed the little boy and girl from Boulevard Houses playground into an elevator in Avitto’s building — where they hoped to find Italian icees — in June 2014, prosecutors said.

Capers testified at the trial that St. Hubert, whom she called “the bad man,” stabbed her best friend after he told them to shut up and the children did not, according to a New York Times report.

He stabbed Avitto 11 times and Capers 16 times, prosecutors said.

Witnesses saw St. Hubert walking into the elevator then later leaving the building and stumbling in a grassy area nearby where investigators found a steak knife with the children’s DNA on it, said prosecutors.

And surveillance video showed St. Hubert wearing the same clothes described by the witnesses, about two blocks from the elevator about 10 minutes after the stabbing, prosecutors said.

It took four days to find St. Hubert, who was arrested just after he drew graffiti on a Brooklyn stop sign that read, “$Kills I will BK,” according to prosecutors.

St. Hubert told the police when he was questioned, “Satan has powers and controls things,” suggesting he might plead insanity, but two psychiatric evaluations later determined he was mentally fit to stand trial, the New York Times reported.

St. Hubert, who was convicted Tuesday and slated to be sentenced on May 15, could face up to 50 years to life in prison.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez applauded the conviction in an official statement, but added, “I know that nothing will bring solace to the family of little P.J. and that Mikayla, who bravely took the stand at trial, will carry the scars of that day forever."

Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn District Attorney's office