“The Butcher Of Tompkins Square Park”

An investigative true-crime podcast episode featured on Shoe Leather, a Columbia Graduate School of Journalism production.

Daniel Rakowitz would often wander around Tompkins Square park holding a Bible and carrying a live rooster. Everyone in the neighborhood knew him, or knew of him. In 1989 - Daniel would go on trial for the brutal and complicated murder of Monika Beerle. Turns out, he'd told people he was going to kill her. So, why didn't anyone listen? This episode is “The Butcher of Tompkins Square Park.”

Co-written and co-produced by me, Vanessa Garcia, and Audrey Gibbs.

This episode is featured on Shoe Leather, season 4, "It's Our F*cking Park." This season, Shoe Leather ranked number 9 on the official Apple podcast charts for History Podcasts.