While in one Joseph Danato's East 134th Street residence, the defendants took “violent hold of [him] by the throat... causing such injuries to him as a result of which he died.”
Newspaper story: "A short time after the body of Joseph Donato, white, a 50-year-old retired stone contractor, was found in the second floor hallway of an apartment house at 4 East 134th street, Monday, police seized John Wade, 34, and Bessie Jantys, 29, residents of the building, and charged them with the slaying. Donato, who lived at 124 East 127th street, was robbed and slain at 2am. His rifled pockets were turned inside out when his body was found, and his hat, coat and shoes were missing. Detectives of the East 126th street station charged that the missing garments were found in the apartment of the arrested couple."