Oct. 22, 2013 – The pavement outside the Criminal Court of New York City was strewn with tripods and reporter microphones – CNN, Bix, Telemundo, FiOS 1. The catch phrase of the day was “Baby Hope.” Today a Grand Jury had indicted Conrado Juarez for the murder of his cousin and the reporters were waiting outside to speak to his lawyer. He is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 21.

In 1991, the body of an unidentified girl, sodomized and smothered, was found stuffed in a cooler along the Henry Hudson Parkway. Earlier this month, Juarez, 52, of the Bronx was arrested for the death of his cousin, four-year-old Anjelica Castillo. The notorious case, which had captured public attention two decades ago, remains high-profile. Michael Croce, Juarez’s defense attorney, described this case as “the New York’s folklore. For now.” In his twenty years of criminal defense, he says that he has yet to encounter a case with this much publicity. “To some,” Croce added, “This is an once-in-a-lifetime chance.” Continue reading →