The murder itself was a thing of nightmares. A video released by the police shows Stark being hustled into a waiting van at 11:45 p.m. January 2 by two assailants. Police later found handcuffs and plastic ties discarded on the ground at the site of the kidnapping.
Stark’s wife contacted a family friend when she realized her husband had not come home. At 1:05 a.m. January 3, according to Yossi Gestetner, an Orthodox activist who was in direct contact with people involved, that friend contacted an acquaintance who is a member of the Shomrim, the local Orthodox security patrol…
It does not appear that the Shomrim waited a substantial time before calling the New York City Police Department, an issue that has been a point of friction between the two organizations in the past. Gestetner said that the NYPD was called by 2:00 a.m. Earlier press reports quoted police saying they were called at 2:30 a.m. The NYPD would not tell the Forward when they were first contacted.