An atrocious murderer abducted and killed an eight-year-old child, then dismembered his body and preserved his feet in the freezer. Levi Aron, the twisted perpetrator, passed away in prison last month, coinciding with the 15th anniversary of his heinous act.
The tragic incident unfolded when the young boy, Leiby Kletzky, was permitted to walk home unaccompanied for the first time. Lost and seeking directions, he encountered Aron before facing a cruel fate.
The chilling case resurfaced following the death of the killer. Leiby was returning from a religious camp in Borough Park, Brooklyn, on July 11, 2011, intending to meet his mother halfway. Despite practicing the route the day before, he went astray and sought assistance from Aron, sealing his tragic destiny.
Aron confessed to diverting the child to a wedding in Rockland County, only realizing the extensive search efforts upon his return home. Recounting a night of watching TV together before sleeping separately, Aron described making a tuna sandwich for the boy, who displayed signs of being restrained with ligature marks on his wrists.
The Borough Park neighborhood, known for its significant Orthodox Jewish population, mobilized thousands of volunteers to aid in the search for the missing child.
In a panicked state amid the search operation, Aron drugged and suffocated Leiby before dismembering and discarding his remains. Shockingly, he retained the boy’s amputated feet in his freezer, just a short distance from the victim’s residence.
Authorities apprehended Aron on July 13 after detecting blood traces in his residence. Subsequent investigations led to the discovery of incriminating evidence in his possession, including bloodied knives and a cutting board. The child’s severed feet were found preserved in the freezer.
Aron directed the police to the boy’s head, torso, and legs, which he had disposed of in a suitcase inside a dumpster on 4th Avenue in Brooklyn.
Following his arrest, Aron admitted to kidnapping and murdering the young Hasidic community member, receiving a sentence of 40 years to life imprisonment. Nearly 15 years into his term, Aron passed away in the hospital on December 3 at 49 years old.
Hospitalized from the Wende Correctional Facility on August 23 due to a medical issue, Aron’s demise was anticipated, with the exact cause undisclosed as per the state Department of Correction and Community Supervision.
Aron’s family, residing in Brooklyn post the tragedy and facing numerous death threats, requested an autopsy following his death.
The victim’s father, Nachman Kletzky, condemned his son’s murder as reckless, malicious, and wanton, opting not to comment on Aron’s demise.
