NEW YORK – Levi Aron, the convicted killer responsible for one of New York City’s most infamous child murders, has died at the age of 49 while serving his prison sentence. Earlier this year, Aron was transferred to a hospital near the Wende Correctional Facility in Erie County for treatment of a medical condition. He passed away shortly before 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. The cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, and no autopsy was requested by his family.
In 2011, Aron abducted eight-year-old Leiby Kletzky in Brooklyn as the boy walked home from a day camp. He later drugged and smothered the child, dismembered the body, and disposed of the remains, shocking the city’s Orthodox Jewish community and sparking a widespread search. In 2012, Aron pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and kidnapping as part of a plea agreement and was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison. Officials described his death as “expected” following his recent hospitalization.