Woman Found Brutally Murdered Inside Essex House

A businesswoman from Dubai was found yesterday inside a condo at the Essex House, disrobed, with her throat slashed and a jumprope around her neck. 44-year-old Andree (Sara) Bejjani, president of Royal Investments, LLC, a real estate investment firm based in Dubai, had been staying at the luxury hotel on Central Park South since August. This morning cops arrested an Essex House employee, Derrick Praileau, but have not yet charged him.

Bejjani was described by a neighbor as "very friendly, very attractive" and once rang the bell at the New York Stock Exchange. The AP says that she was found naked, facedown on her kitchen floor of her 10th floor apartment. The Post says she was found with "a (10-inch) knife sticking out of her neck and her nightgown pushed up." Police have not ruled the killing a sexual assault.

29-year-old Pralieau, a hotel housekeeping manager at the Essex House, was caught on a surveillance camera entering Bejjani's room. After being picked up by police at the Bronx home he shares with his wife and two children, he is said to have made statements implicating himself. He has no prior criminal record.

Update [1:30 p.m.] Pralieau has been charged with second degree murder. His key card was the last one registered to enter Bejjani's room before she was found yesterday afternoon by a housekeeper.