New Details Emerge In Case Of Man Accused Of Stalking Ex, Murdering New Husband

Court documents reveal new details in the case of a man accused of driving from Virginia to New York to stalk his ex before violently murdering her new husband.

Jacob Klein, 40, was indicted by a grand jury on Monday on charges of second-degree murder after authorities said he killed Philip Rabadi, 35, according to NBC Albany affiliate WNYT. As previously reported, Rabadi was newly married to Klein’s ex when found dead in the garage of his New Scotland, New York, home on April 13.

The victim had been “bound” and sustained “multiple stab wounds and mutilation to his body,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement sent to Oxygen.com.

Authorities believe Klein waited for his ex, Elana Radin, to leave for work at around 6:00 a.m. before confronting Rabadi at the front door of the couple’s home at approximately 7:30 a.m., as previously reported. Radin called authorities to request a welfare check when Rabadi didn’t arrive for his shift.

Both Radin and Rabadi worked as physician assistants at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany. 

Deputies with the Albany County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the couple's Miller Road home around the same time as Radin and Rabadi’s father. The family members entered the garage to find a bare-foot Rabadi facedown on the floor. His hands were tied behind his back, and his jacket pulled down by his shoulders.

Courtroom documents obtained by the Albany outlet offer new details into the gruesome murder, including statements made by neighbors. One item gives a glimpse into the crime scene after authorities secured the residence, finding two bathroom sinks running, according to WNYT. One was overflowing, while the other had blood on the faucet.

Elana Radin also told police she had been in a relationship with Klein years prior, claiming she received a concerning email from Klein before marrying Rabadi in September 2021, the documents reveal.

The contents of the email were not disclosed.

Also provided was a statement from a neighbor who saw a white truck just after 7:00 a.m. at the Rabadi-Radin home on the day of the murder. She told authorities she'd seen a man dressed in dark clothing and a surgical mask walking toward the residence with papers in his hand.

The neighbor said it was “odd, because he was not dressed like a construction worker,” noting there might have been construction work taking place next door, according to WNYT.

Klein allegedly rented a white truck from an Enterprise in Albany just two days prior, according to the documents.

Klein was named a suspect just hours after the discovery of Rabadi’s body, prompting Albany County authorities to enlist the help of the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. They were able to track Klein’s movements down to Tennessee before finally apprehending him just over the Virginia state line.

“Jacob did travel to this area from Virginia in his vehicle and began stalking the victim three days prior to the murder,” Sheriff Craig Apple said in a press conference earlier this month.

Klein’s Manhattan-based defense attorney, Mark Bederow, spoke with Oxygen.com about how such assertions could potentially impede his client’s right to a fair trial while also addressing evidence being shared with the public.

“People need to wait for the evidence to be presented in a courtroom, not by press release, and allow the defense to have a chance to assess the evidence. And remember, at all times, that anyone in America is presumed innocent until their guilt is proven by reasonable doubt,” said Bederow. “It’s disturbing that at this point in the process, the public has received more evidence of what’s going on than Mr. Klein’s lawyer has.”

Bederow emphasized that he didn’t fault reporters for accessing evidence in the case but nodded to the sheriff’s office for stating Klein’s alleged guilt.

“I just go back to the press conference by the sheriff: pre-arraignment in the hallway of the courthouse and taking questions about the nature of the evidence and their theories of guilt and what was going on,” said Bederow. “That’s just beyond improper in a criminal case in America. That’s just not how it’s supposed to be done. I would hope that the DA’s office would at least attempt to rein in the sheriff’s office and recognize that.”