Update: Woman Murdered on Park Place

Update 8:05 p.m.: The NYPD has officially charged Michael Brea, 31, with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

Update 6:39 p.m.: Two women who live at 501 Park Place had the terrifying experience of awaking to the sound of Yannick Brea being murdered early Tuesday morning.

Elizabeth Weber, a 24-year-old mental health counselor, and Andrea Natoli, a 25-year-old teacher, said they both got out of bed after they heard Yannick yelling "help, he's gonna kill me." Their bedrooms and the apartment where the murder occurred face the same alley, which they said "amplified" the sounds of the incident.

"She opened the window and yelled for help," said Weber. "We heard contact being made."

Natoli said that, after the attack ended, Yannick stopped making noise but Michael Brea continued to scream what she described as "nonsense." She said Michael kept yelling until police entered his mother's apartment over an hour later.

Update 2:23 p.m.: Police Commissioner Ray Kelly has confirmed several details that news outlets have been reporting throughout the day. Kelly said that, when the police arrived, they found Yannick Brea kneeling on the bathroom floor with "lacerations to her head."

"In the bedroom was her son with a three foot sword," said Kelly. "He has been arrested and he is undergoing psychiatric evaluation at [Kings County Hospital]." Kelly said Michael Brea has no criminal record, but they aren't sure about his psychiatric record.

In response to questions about why the police waited to enter the apartment, Kelly said, "It was a barricaded situation."

"We don't know what type of weapon the individual could have had," he added. "Yes, the woman was stabbed but we don't know if there was a gun involved. They take prudent precautions I believe that was prudent at that time."

Update 2:13 p.m.: Clinton Claire, a 52-year-old former city worker who lives beneath Yannick Brea's apartment, said he heard screaming coming from the apartment, and that her son Michael was "chanting spiritual things."

He called 911, but after the police arrived, Claire said they waited to enter Yannick's apartment for almost an hour. "They took a lot of time to go into the apartment," he said. Claire offered to get a crobar so they could break down the door but was told procedural concerns caused the police to hesitate.

Several neighbors added that they were shocked to hear Michael, whom they all described as "very nice," could commit such an act. Although a few said they knew he had an interest in martial arts, they never thought he was a violent person.

A woman was stabbed multiple times and died early Tuesday morning in her second-floor apartment on Park Place, according to cops. 

The 55-year-old woman's son may have been the sword-wielding man who murdered her, according to published reports.

Police responded to a 911 call at 2:20 a.m and found Yannick Brea with several stab wounds to the chest. When paramedics arrived, they pronounced her dead at the scene.

The New York Daily News and WABC reported that her son is suspected of the murder, although the police would not confirm that information. WABC identified her son as 31-year-old Michael Brea, an actor who has appeared on the show "Ugly Betty" and had a role in the dance movie "Step Up 3D."

There are also reports that police found a samurai sword, believed to be the murder weapon, at the scene.

The suspect was arrested and taken to Kings County Hospital for psychiatric evaluation. Charges have not been filed.

Check back with Prospect Heights Patch throughout the day for updates.