By Bryan Schwartzman
A 29-year-old man was arrested Friday morning in South Jamaica for allegedly beating his 30-year-old girlfriend to death with a baseball bat, authorities said.
Police arrested Terrence Stevens, of 150-33 118th Ave. in South Jamaica in the killing of Loretta Campbell of 118-32 152 St., also in South Jamaica, said Detective Carolyn Chew, a police spokeswoman.
Stevens admitted to police that he had pummeled Campbell, the district attorney's office said in the filed complaint.
Campbell was arraigned Friday night and charged with murder in the second degree, tampering with physical evidence, and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.
If convicted, he faces 25 years to life in prison.
The medical examiner's office has ruled Campbell's death a homicide.
“The cause of death was multiple blunt impact injuries of the head with skull fracture and brain hemorrhage,” said Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner's office.
While the medical examiner's report usually will not specify an object, this report said Campbell was definitely hit with a baseball bat, Borakove said.
The two went to Stevens' home on Thursday night where Stevens lives with his brother and mother, Newsday reported. Stevens accused Campbell of stealing money from him following an evening of smoking crack cocaine and having sex, the newspaper said.
Stevens' brother found Campbell's body in the basement at about 8 a.m. Friday, said Chew.
Police arrested Stevens when he returned home at about 10:10 a.m. Friday, Chew said.
Reach reporter Bryan Schwartzman by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 154.