Officer: Accused Schenectady murderer alluded to additional victims

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

Crime scene tape surrounds the property at 1330 Union Street Thursday, September 3, 2015.

The man accused in last September’s killing of a woman and brutal attack on a man made chilling comments to a jail booking officer upon his intake at the facility, according to testimony at a pre-trial hearing Thursday.

Harold Michael Ortiz is charged with leaving the man he attacked for dead, under a pile of debris, and suspected of attacking and killing a woman.

“I’m going to be here a long time,” Ortiz told corrections officer Adam Catalano as the officer booked Ortiz into the jail. “They haven’t found them all yet.”

Ortiz also told the booking officer “I told them not to let me out,” the officer testified, an apparent reference to a prior 17-year attempted murder sentence Ortiz served.

Catalano testified this morning at a pre-trial hearing on the admissibility of Ortiz’ alleged statements to law enforcement before and after his arrest.

Prosecutor Peter Willis declined to say afterward what authorities believe Ortiz knew of the investigation at the point of his booking, but Willis said that investigators have no information connecting Ortiz to incidents beyond the two attacks at 1330 Union St.

Ortiz, 44, most recently of Schenectady, faces charges of second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder and first-degree kidnapping, among other counts.

He has been held since Sept. 2, accused of attacking and killing 55-year-old Valerie Washington inside 1330 Union St. and attacking and leaving for dead another resident of the building, 65-year-old Ralph Carson.

Authorities found Carson and the body of Washington that afternoon.

The crimes were discovered after Ortiz told his brother of the attack on Carson. His brother turned that information over to police, who arrived at 1330 Union St. minutes later. They soon had Ortiz in custody at an Albany Street address.

Ortiz faces up to 50 years to life in state prison together on the murder and attempted murder counts alone.

Attorneys at today’s hearing indicated they have had extensive discussions regarding a possible plea agreement in the matter.

They did not discuss a specific offer in court, but defense attorney Steve Signore said the sides are “a hair apart.” Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney said the discussions will continue. Peter Willis is also prosecuting.

In his testimony today, Catalano, who said he then did not know the details of the allegations against Ortiz, said he was taken aback by Ortiz’ comment.

Catalano had been instructing Ortiz on the Schenectady County Jail’s package policy when Ortiz volunteered his statement, and Catalano said he asked Ortiz what he meant.

“After that, he just expressed ‘I told them not to let me out,’” Catalano said.

Ortiz was released from state custody July 10, 2015, after serving every day of a previous 17-year sentence on a 1998 Brooklyn attempted murder conviction.

State officials held him the maximum amount of time because of a poor disciplinary record, records have indicated.

His Brooklyn crime, July 5, 1998, was committed just one month before post-release supervision in such cases became mandatory, records show — which means his sentence included no post-release supervision. Under the new rules, post-release supervision now lasts up to five years.

Also testifying this morning, city police Officer Michael Randle told of Ortiz’ arrest at a Albany Street apartment shortly after the discoveries at 1330 Union St. Randle said Ortiz went quietly and did not struggle.

Randle and his partner drove the handcuffed Ortiz to the police station. Randle described Ortiz as “sweating profusely” in the back seat of the patrol car, and Randle said he asked Ortiz if he wanted a window opened. Ortiz responded that he did.

Otherwise, Ortiz made no other statements during the ride.

Reach Gazette reporter Steven Cook at 395-3122, [email protected] or @ByStevenCook on Twitter.