Mystery of the Murderous "Yoga Stick"

When the police announced they had arrested Linda Stein's assistant for beating Stein to death with a yoga stick, many people wondered what a yoga stick was. Some suggested it might be a weighted Pilates bar or pole, but the Sun reports on some possible issues with the alleged "yoga stick" confession.

According to police, assistant Natavia Lowery was pushed over the edge by the brash and rude Stein on October 30, causing her to kill the 62-year-old woman in Stein's Fifth Avenue apartment. Lowery allegedly confessed, saying she used a yoga stick. But Stein's private yoga instructor told the Sun " that she has never heard of a yoga stick, let alone ever seen one inside of" Stein's home. Further, Patricia Smith said "Stein did not have any type of exercise stick or pole in her multimillion dollar apartment" and that "Stein's only pieces of exercise equipment were a few small dumbbells, which could hardly be confused with a stick or pole."

What's weirder is what the NYPD e-mailed the Sun, "The NYPD never said the yoga stick was the weapon. We said she told detectives it was. She may well have used something else." Hmm - that's interesting. The police are known to withhold information about cases, but this just seems curious, especially given claims that Lowery's confession was coerced. Lowery was interrogated for 18 hours before confessing; her lawyer said that he specifically asked the police not to speak with his client unless he was present, but the police say that since Lowery contacted them first, they could question her alone. Still, even Stein's lawyer isn't sure if the confession will stick.

Lowery, who was indicted for second-degree murder, also allegedly took Stein's cellphone and used Stein's ATM card to withdraw $800 and was seen exiting the apartment around the time of the murder on surveillance video. And a murder weapon still hasn't been found.