Essex Housekeeper Drunkenly Stabbed Resident Who Fought Off Rape

A housekeeping manager at the Essex House has confessed to the stabbing murder of Sara Bejjani after investigators say he attempted to rape the woman who had been residing inside the luxury hotel along Central Park South. 29-year-old Derrick Praileau had worked at the hotel since he was 17 and is described as being known for having a "flash temper." He told police that he showed up drunk before his 6 a.m. shift Saturday, used his key to get into Bejjani's 10th floor apartment and then admits, "I just lost it."

The 44-year-old Bejjani was a Lebanese-born businesswoman who founded an investment firm in Dubai and was politically active, having volunteered for the Obama campaign. Neighbors were spooked that an employee of Essex had used his access to get into her sublet. One woman, who would only go by "Gina", said, "A woman lost her life, and her soul, right below us. It's terrible."

Pralieau is a married father of two who lives on White Plains Road in the Bronx. He did not confess trying to rape Bejjani, but investigators said they believe he went off when she tried to fight him off. Police videotaped the confession where the housekeeping manager who had been eying the victim for weeks says he choked her (Bejjani was found with a jumprope around her neck) and then stabbed her with a 10-inch bread knife. A Bronx neighbor described Pralieau and his wife by saying, “They barely ever do anything. He rarely comes outside unless he’s going to work or to the store.”

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Billy Parker in News on September 21, 2009 12:20 PM

Comments [rss]

ProcedureTurn

another colored guy, huh?

Georgina

I always use the chain or its equivalent on hotel doors. This can happen anywhere, the Ritz, a Motel 8. What a horrible horrible crime.

pissflaps

i'm so glad the neighbor did not say "he was a good kid" or anything of the sort...

I totally think they should bring the electric chair back, there would be some sort of reality show based around it. Project Death Row, or some shit....

Rocknrope

On another note, he was a manager, so perhaps he has leadership potential.

Past Taliban

Rapist and murderer. Sounds like a perfect fit to join the U.S. Army.

jpeditor

"Rapist and murderer. Sounds like a perfect fit to join the U.S. Army."

Sounds more like a perfect fit for taliban.

Get off our internet, you scumbag.

John_Matrix

these violent rapes are just the tip of the iceberg. plenty of your friends and neighbors are unreported date rapists. especially if you were in a frat, brah.

back on topic. extraditing him would be a brilliant solution.

ides_of_march

If they're unreported how do you know? Do all these women victims use you as some sort of confidential information clearing house?

bellsandasiren

"Do all these women victims use you as some sort of confidential information clearing house?"

No. We use each other. We tell our friends, our family, our doctors, our rape hotline respondents, our EMTs, our nurses, our roommates. Sometimes we're supported. But not often.

Sometimes, we're shamed. Sometimes we're told that it wasn't really rape because we knew him/were drunk/were walking home too late/were wearing sexy clothes/were in a bad neighborhood/were out dancing/were seen making out with him/were alone/were with strangers/were with bad friends/were asking for it. We're told it wasn't really rape, for any of those reasons, for all of those reasons, for none of those reasons other than the voice all women hear that whispers, "Good girls don't get raped."

So we don't report it, except to people who can't do anything about it. Because the only thing worse than being told all of the above by people who you believe care for you, is being told all of the above by people you believe should protect you: your justice system.

bellsandasiren

"Do all these women victims use you as some sort of confidential information clearing house?"

No. We use each other. We tell our friends, our family, our doctors, our rape hotline respondents, our EMTs, our nurses, our roommates. Sometimes we're supported. But not often.

Sometimes, we're shamed. Sometimes we're told that it wasn't really rape because we knew him/were drunk/were walking home too late/were wearing sexy clothes/were in a bad neighborhood/were out dancing/were seen making out with him/were alone/were strangers/were with bad friends/were asking for it. We're told it wasn't really rape, for any of those reasons, for all of those reasons, for none of those reasons other than the voice all women hear that whispers, "Good girls don't get raped."

So we don't report it, except to people who can't do anything about it. Because the only thing worse than being told all of the above by people who you believe care for you, is being told all of the above by people you believe should protect you: your justice system.

John_Matrix

yes ides, that's exactly how it works. what an ignorant twat you are.

the government goes out and collects data and uses statistical analysis to come up with a number like 60% of rapes go unreported to the police, according to the department of justice in 2005. if you doubt those numbers, remember the doj was under bush then, so it's as good as gospel to you.

Amanda Harletsch

What a horrific way for a woman to die! By a crazy as fuck stranger that happened to working in the hotel you are staying, just because he could not control himself?

Just barbaric, sad, violent and horrible.

catsinvasion

hey sonny bobiche racist piece of shit--

most rape is between aquaintances, attacks like this just happens to be what gets reported on mainstream drive-by media.

SonnyBobiche

What a serious and eloquent reply! Seems like you could be one of those who fly off the handle and strangle people who "diss" them.

Brooklynbobby

Let's not try to sugar-coat the statistics. They are what they are.

oofstar

was there a statistic posted here somewhere? observing how many rapists are reported on the news is not a statistic on how many rapes there or what race most rapists are.

and most rapes are between acquaintances, that IS the statistic.

Brooklynbobby

Get real and grow up!!!

ed_Extinct

Send him to the UAE, they'll to the right thing to him.

Dirk

That would be justice.

Rocknrope

Man, bolt of lightning is right. I can't even imagine - you're young, successful running your own firm, and in NY to tend to some business, and lowlife scum like this ends your life.

What's scary is imagining how many of these mongrels are out there with "flash tempers" waiting to go off on someone else.