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Man Accused Of Driving From Virginia To New York To Stalk Ex Before Murdering Her New Husband
Neighbors' doorbell cameras allegedly captured Jacob Klein confronting Philip Rabadi at the victim's home before Rabadi was discovered bound, stabbed, and mutilated on the garage floor.
A man is accused of traveling across several states to stalk his ex before murdering her new husband.
Jacob L. Klein, 40, was arrested on Friday evening in Franklin County, Virginia, after authorities say he killed Philip Rabadi, 35, at the victim’s New Scotland, New York, residence, according to NBC affiliate WSLS-TV 10. Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said authorities found Rabadi on his garage floor on Wednesday morning after his spouse called authorities to perform a welfare check.
Rabadi and his wife, Elana Radin, worked together as physician assistants at St. Peter’s Hospital, Apple said at Saturday’s news conference. Radin grew concerned when Rabadi did not show up at the hospital for his shift.
According to the Times-Union, the couple only married in September.
Apple said deputies arrived at the Miller Rd. residence around the same time as Radin and the victim’s father. Rabadi had been “bound” and sustained “multiple stab wounds and mutilation to his body,” according to Apple.
Within hours, authorities identified Klein – who had ties in the Albany area – as a suspect in the investigation, according to a press release from the Albany County Sheriff’s Office.
“Investigators were able to backtrack all of Klein’s movements while he was in the Albany area with the assistance from the FBI and the Albany Crime Analysis Center,” authorities said. “The crime scene was processed for evidence by the New York State Police Forensic Identification Unit, and local bodies of water near the scene were checked for additional evidence by the New York State Police Dive Team.”
Apple said Klein was also a physician’s assistant, though it was unclear in which state he was licensed to practice, if any. According to the press release, Klein currently lives in Virginia.
“Jacob did travel to this area from Virginia in his vehicle and began stalking the victim three days prior to the murder,” said Apple, who declined to go into further detail.
It was not believed that Klein personally knew the victim. Sheriff Apple also said that Radin was unaware that Klein had been stalking her.
Authorities believe Klein drove from Virginia to New York before renting a car from an Enterprise in Albany, according to the Times-Union. Klein used the rental car to survey the couple’s residence and their place of work.
Law enforcement sources told the Times-Union that phone data helped track Klein’s movements, which indicated he’d previously visited the victim’s residence. They said that Klein had taken an Uber in Albany at some point in time, and authorities have since seized that video from the ride.
Apple said residents the victim's street were instrumental in helping authorities paint a picture of the morning’s events, thanks to footage captured on Ring and Nest doorbell cameras.
Radin reportedly left work at around 6:00 a.m., according to the Albany outlet. Officials said they believe Klein waited for her to go to work before the suspect confronted Rabadi at his front door at around 7:30 a.m. Sources said it appeared Rabadi answered the door before reacting as though the suspect drew a weapon on him before following the victim into his home.
A handgun was recovered from Klein’s vehicle shortly after Friday’s arrest, authorities said.
Deputies quickly enlisted the help of the FBI-Albany Division and other law enforcement agencies. They tracked Klein’s movements after the murder and located him in Tennessee, calling on the Tennessee Highway Patrol for their assistance.
Virginia State Police and Tennessee Highway Patrol arrested Klein shortly after he crossed the state border into Virginia, according to the sheriff’s release. Following the issuance of an arrest warrant from New York, he was arrested for second-degree murder.
Additional charges will follow upon his extradition, which is expected to take place this week, Apple stated.
Klein is a military veteran with no criminal history, according to the Times-Union. He has previously worked as a physician’s assistant in California and upstate New York, having once worked at Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson. Klein spent much of his childhood in Cobleskill, New York, less than 50 miles west of the state capital.
He is expected to be arraigned in federal court on Monday before extradition back to Albany.
