By Joe Anuta
More than 17 years after a Flushing man was murdered and thrown off the roof of a Kissena Boulevard apartment complex, the Queens district attorney announced last week that a former Flushing resident was arrested and charged with the crime..
On April 18, DA Richard Brown announced the NYPD’s Cold Case Squad’s investigation led to the arrest of 37-year-old Andrew Caballero, who is charged with the gruesome 1995 slay of 21-year-old Jason Kollmann.
“Murder cases may grow cold, but they are never closed until justice is served,” Brown said. “Thanks to the determined efforts of police and prosecutors in this case and the emergence of new evidence, that day has finally come — more than 17 years after the victim was brutally murdered. The defendant must now face the consequences of his alleged actions.”
Caballero formerly lived at 43-43 Kissena Blvd., where according to Brown, the then-20-year-old murdered Kollman by stabbing him and throwing him off the roof.
On Feb. 1, 1995, Kollmann and Caballero were on the roof of Caballero’s residence at about 8 p.m. and Caballero stabbed Kollman several times in the neck, chest and back before pushing him off the roof, the DA said.
Kollmann’s body landed on a fifth-story fire escape, the DA said.
After medics arrived at the scene, Kollmann was pronounce dead at 11 p.m., the DA said.
The two men knew each other through Caballero’s girlfriend, the DA said.
Brown’s office would not divulge what new piece of evidence led to Caballero’s arrest, only ruling out that a DNA hit played a role.
The evidence will likely come out during court proceedings, and Caballero’s first court date was set for June 21, according to the DA.
Reach reporter Joe Anuta by e-mail at januta@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4566.
