Woman Killed By Alleged Rapist

Yesterday, 29-year-old Hemant Megnath was arrested and charged with murder after allegedly slashing the throat of 20-year-old Natasha Ramen, who had accused him of rape and was set to [testify against him next month].

Despite an order of protection, it seems Megnath had been stalking Ramen. Last Thursday, he waited outside her home in Hollis and [attacked her] as she left for work. Ramen's landlord found her body at about 8:20 a.m. in the driveway.

Sources say Megnath and Ramen met when she was looking for an apartment (he worked as an assistant to a real estate agent). Then on May 22, 2005, Megnath lured Ramen inside his Hart St. home, telling her he needed to get something. He made romantic advances toward her, but she rejected him, at which point he allegedly tied her to his bed and raped her.

Ramen, a married woman, waited until 2006 to report the rape. Megnath was arrested, but later released on $5,000 bail. Police say that as his rape trial grew closer (he was set to have a pre-trial hearing on April 9), he was arrested for making threatening phone calls to Ramen's in-laws—but those charges were dropped.

Megnath is now facing first and second-degree murder charges. If convicted he faces up to [life in prison without parole].