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A 23-year-old man has been busted for the murder of his much older roommate, whose remains were found inside a suitcase floating in the East River — allegedly hacking him to death and then dismembering him in a fight over food, cops and sources said Thursday. 

Christian Millet was charged with second-degree murder Wednesday night, a week after 65-year-old Edwin Echevarria’s torso was found stuffed inside a suitcase floating near Governor’s Island, police said. 

Millet allegedly confessed to knocking Echevarria to the floor, stomping on his head and using a makeshift ice pick to stab him 14 times inside their shared Columbia Street apartment, within NYCHA’s Baruch Houses on the Lower East Side, law enforcement sources said. 


  Christian Millet, 23, was charged with killing his 65-year-old roommate Edwin Echevarria, whose remains were found inside a suitcase floating in the East River, cops said. Robert Mecea Christian Millet, 23, was charged with killing his 65-year-old roommate Edwin Echevarria, whose remains were found inside a suitcase floating in the East River, cops said. Robert Mecea

  According to sources, Millet was home when police searched the apartment, and later confessed at the NYPD’s 7th Precinct. Steven Hirsch According to sources, Millet was home when police searched the apartment, and later confessed at the NYPD’s 7th Precinct. Steven Hirsch

  Millet admitted to using an ice pick to stab the victim 14 times, sources said. Robert Mecea Millet admitted to using an ice pick to stab the victim 14 times, sources said. Robert Mecea

He allegedly admitted to dragging the body to the bathtub and cutting it up with a kitchen knife, the sources said. 

The savage killing appears to have stemmed from a fight between the roommates over food, according to the sources. 

Investigators began probing the disturbing case when a passing vessel spotted a suitcase floating in the river and alerted police around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday last week, cops said.

Police opened the luggage and made the stomach-churning discovery.

It’s unclear how long the suitcase was drifting in the water.

Millet was nabbed once cops secured a search warrant for the apartment he and Echevarria shared, sources said.


  Millet allegedly admitted to dragging Edwin Echevarria’s body to the bathtub and cutting it up with a kitchen knife. Obtained by NYPost Millet allegedly admitted to dragging Edwin Echevarria’s body to the bathtub and cutting it up with a kitchen knife. Obtained by NYPost

  Investigators believe the sickening murder stemmed from a fight between the two men over food, sources said. Robert Mecea Investigators believe the sickening murder stemmed from a fight between the two men over food, sources said. Robert Mecea

Millet happened to be home, and he was taken to the NYPD’s 7th Precinct, where he confessed, according to the sources. 

He does not have any prior arrests in the Big Apple, cops said.

His arraignment in the killing was pending Thursday morning. 

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