Oxygen, the crime news portal, showcased the murder case of Catherine Woods in 2005 and recent updates about the murderer Paul Cortez and where he is today.
Catherine Woods died in her New York City apartment on November 27, 2005. She was seeing multiple men at the time of the murder, but the two who drew the most attention were David Haughn and Paul Cortez.
Steven Goetz, a former NYPD officer from Manhattan’s 19th precinct, stated that the murderer stabbed the girl approximately 15 times, and she had substantial lacerations on her neck.
However, some people believe that Paul Cortez is innocent and that the real murderer framed him for the murder.
Now: Where Is Paul Cortez Today?
Paul Cortez, the murderer of Catherine Woods, has not disclosed information about his whereabouts today. According to the New York Times, the court denied his plea for a hearing in 2017.
The police arrested Paul Cortez on December 19, 2005, for the murder of Catherine Woods. According to The New York Times, he was found guilty of second-degree murder for killing Woods by “slashing her throat” on February 15, 2007.
Catherine Woods’ Killer Paul Cortez Wants a New Trial in Exotic Dancer Murder Case http://bit.ly/8Hbut1 (via @crimesider)
— 48 Hours (@48hours) December 7, 2009
Many people on the internet believe that Paul is innocent, and they have created websites to spread awareness about the case. Paul Cortez was born on March 18, 1980, and grew up in a low-income Bronx neighborhood.
He worked relentlessly on his studies and artistic interests since he was a boy, expecting one day to be able to support his family and relocate them out of the Bronx.
Catherine Woods Murder Case Updates
The murder case of Catherine Woods got a break when a woman who had read about the murder came forward to say Cortez had physically assaulted her a year before.
Catherine Woods dreamed of dancing on Broadway as a child in Ohio, and she prepared to make it a reality. At the age of 17, she left home to pursue her goal in New York City.
Three years later, as she was advancing in her job, tragedy struck. Woods’ roommate, David Haughn, contacted 911 on November 27, 2005, to report that there was “blood all over” their Upper East Side walk-up apartment.
The police claimed that there was evidence of a fight. The mattress in the bedroom was on the floor, impeding EMS’s last-ditch efforts to assist Woods. Some witnesses reported hearing a commotion, including growing fighting and shouting, emanating from her apartment.
Is Paul Cortez In Jail Or Dead In 2022?
The police have not disclosed any news of death, so Paul Cortez is likely in jail in 2022 as he was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in 2007.
According to investigators, he has not revealed the motive for the murder. However, Cortez’s fingerprint had matched the mark on the crime scene wall.
More evidence was added to the detectives’ case. Cortez’s shoes, a size ten and a half Skechers, matched the shoe prints found at the crime scene.