Teen Confesses to
Murder of Gay Journalist

Police in New York City say that a teenager confessed on Wednesday morning to the brutal slaying of a gay radio journalist. The murder of George Weber has captured public attention because of its horrifying and intimate details.

The New York Post reported that John Katehis, 16, of Queens was taken into custody in upstate New York and brought to the police precinct in Brooklyn, where he confessed to the crime. Weber, a former employee of ABC News, was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment on Sunday morning, after being stabbed as many as 50 times.

Weber, 47, apparently met Katehis via Craigslist, and after a series of e-mail exchanges offered him $60 for a sexual encounter on Friday night that included rough behavior. The vodka- and cocaine-fueled tryst turned violent, with Katehis telling police that Weber pulled a knife on him. The teenager in turn grabbed the weapon and stabbed Weber to death.

Weber's legs were bound with duct tape. Investigators believe he introduced the knife in order to free himself, not to attack Katehis.