A New York City man who allegedly killed his girlfriend by throwing her out the window of their sixth-floor apartment has appeared in court for a bail hearing.
Shmuel Levine, 34, confessed to killing Danielle Marrano in October 2020 after a fight in which he struggled to get her cell phone after making allegations of infidelity.
Police alleged that he “viscously beat” and strangled dental hygienist Marrano Marrano, 37, before pushing her to death through the balcony or window of her Ocean Promenade apartment in Rockaway Park.
He was indicted by a grand jury on manslaughter charges in November 2020 and has been held without bail on Rikers Island ever since.
Levine was at the Queen’s High Court in prison uniform on Wednesday and his application for bail was rejected.
Shmuel Levine, who has been charged with murdering his girlfriend by throwing her out of her sixth-floor apartment, appeared in court on Wednesday to appeal bail
Police allege Levine ‘viscously beat’ and strangled dental hygienist Marrano, 37, before pushing her to her death
Marrano’s mother, Karen Marrano, said, “My daughter was a beautiful, shining star.”
Police were called to the Marrano’s Queens apartment complex around 2:40 p.m. on October 26, 2020, and found Marrano lying on the floor with fatal injuries.
She was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where she died six hours later.
Authorities initially suspected Marrano had committed suicide, but hospital officials concluded that some of her injuries were not consistent with a fall.
The coroner found that Marrano had suffered at least four skull fractures contributing to her death, at least two of which were incompatible with a fall.
There was a large dent in a wall in the apartment, authorities said, and hair matching that of the victims was also found at the scene.
Marrano’s death was ruled a homicide caused by unnatural blunt force trauma.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said the last moments of the victim’s life were “brutal.”
“The final moments of this woman’s life were brutal,” she said in a statement at the time.
The victim’s boss, Jim Sarji, spoke fondly of Marrano and said she was loved by patients at the Brooklyn dental office, where she worked for 15 years
Marrano was pushed to her death through the balcony or window of her Ocean Promenade apartment in Rockaway Park
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said the last moments of Marrano’s life were “brutal.”
“The defendant allegedly resorted to vicious, physical violence to resolve an argument.”
Marrano’s mother, Karen Marrano, paid tribute to her daughter who “loved dancing and traveling.”
She told the New York Daily News, “My daughter was a beautiful, shining star.
“She loved her family and her friends and her brother very much. She loved to dance and travel.’
The victim’s boss, Jim Sarji, spoke fondly of Marrano and said she was loved by patients at the Brooklyn dental office, where she worked for 15 years.
‘Everyone loved her. All patients loved her. Even after quarantine, she was very busy and afraid to return to the office, but everyone was asking about her,” he told the Daily News.
After his arrest, Levine told police he and Marrano “got into a fight because she cheated on me.”
“I told her I couldn’t take it anymore,” Levine is said to have said.
“She admitted to cheating on me and then I said, ‘Can I see your phone?’ She wouldn’t give me the phone so I forcefully tried to take the phone from her and she fought back.’
Levine then allegedly told police it was “not my intention to put her in a stranglehold,” but he did it to get his hands on the phone.
“I put my hands around her because I just wanted to pick up the phone,” he said, according to the indictment.
“I was wrestling with her over the phone. I grabbed her to try to get to the phone and she kicked me. She was on the floor.’
He told police the alleged attack only lasted “about a minute.”
“I grabbed the back of her hair because I was desperate for the phone. Yes, there was a physical altercation to get the phone. I choked her with one arm for two to three seconds and she screamed ‘No’.
Levine faces 25 years in prison.