16-Year-Old Girl Stabbed to Death in Manhattan Apartment

A 16-year-old Manhattan girl died after being stabbed in the neck, and cops have identified her boyfriend as the primary suspect in the case, authorities say.

Saniyah Lawrence, who lived on West 112th Street in Harlem, was found gashed in an apartment on Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard when NYPD officers responded to a call about a stabbing around 5:40 p.m. Sunday.

Lawrence was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later.

The NYPD said Monday it was looking for 18-year-old Zyaire Crumbley, Lawrence’s boyfriend, in connection with her killing, which they say happened after some sort of argument. The nature of the dispute wasn’t clear, but police said that Crumbley was seen on surveillance video coming out of the same building where Lawrence died just minutes before police arrived at the scene.

A neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said she recently heard loud noises and people arguing from inside the apartment.

“Just a lot of odd behavior. I’ve heard people just moving back and forth, seems like people were running and at times throwing different things,” the neighbor said.

A motive for the killing was not immediately clear, however. Anyone with information on Crumbley is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.