A Far Northeast man has been ordered to stand trial for murdering his stepfather, although the specific motive for the slaying remains a mystery.
James Kelly, 23, allegedly used a .22-caliber rifle to shoot Rafael Santiago, 41, fatally in the face inside the victim’s home on the 3100 block of Holly Road on Oct. 5. Kelly and his mother also lived there.
During a preliminary hearing on Dec. 3, Homicide Unit Detective Brian Peters reportedly detailed Kelly’s confession to police. The investigator described Kelly’s behavior during hours of questioning on Oct. 5 and 6 as “bizarre” according to the Daily News. Kelly allegedly tried to instigate fights with detectives and offered to pay for the opportunity, the newspaper reported, citing Peters’ testimony. At another point, Kelly allegedly threatened to kill Peters and indicated that he had killed someone else earlier in the day, although Kelly did not identify that murder victim by name.
Finally, on the morning of Oct. 6, Kelly allegedly admitted shooting Santiago, although he did not indicate his motive. Peters reportedly testified that neighbors told investigators that Kelly and Santiago had been arguing and the stepfather wanted Kelly to move out of the house.
The slaying occurred at about 1 p.m. on Oct. 5. Police found the victim in a pool of blood in a second-floor bedroom. During a search of the house, police allegedly found the rifle in Kelly’s bedroom and a shotgun in the home.
Kelly is being held without bail at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility. A trial date has not been set. ••
