Police release suspect's picture after man is found tied up and stabbed in trunk of his own BMW



Shot dead: Barion A Blake pulled out a gun as officers approached him in Florida

Police have released the picture and name of a man they want to question after finding a bound and stabbed New York attorney in the trunk of his own BMW yesterday.

An NYPD spokesman said authorities want to know the whereabouts of Barion A Blake, 30, a convicted felon who they believe is connected to the bizarre attack on 33-year-old attorney Akeem Ajimotokan, of West New York.

Mr Ajimotokan, an attourney for Columbia University, was in a stable condition after he was found tied in in the trunk of his car - with his neck broken and an ear severed.

But he remained in an induced coma until doctors can further assess his injuries at Harlem Hospital.

Mr Ajimotokan was only discovered after the driver of his vehicle was involved in a collision with a Yellow cab at the intersection of 10th Avenue, Dyckman Street and Harlem River Drive, Inwood.

When the taxi driver dialled 911, the driver fled the scene on foot.

Police responding to the call noticed the rear seat in an unusual position and, on further inspection, found Mr Ajimotokan inside the car.

Further details have emerged of what officers found inside the car, with some reports saying that they noticed blood and several .38 calibre bullets in 'plain view' on the seats.

Mr Ajimotokan's hands were bound with 'zip ties' and he appeared to have several wounds to his head and body - including a punctured left lung - which were consistent with a stabbing.

Police allege they found a bill of sale inside the car dated January 25, listing Mr Ajimotokan as the seller and Darion Blake as the buyer.

Abandoned: The blue BMW that was left at the intersection of 10th Avenue, Dyckman Street and Harlem River Drive - with its human cargo in the trunk

CSI New York: Police cordoned off the scene. Barion A. Blake tried to drive off but, when his car would not move in icy conditions, he left on foot

Blake's address is listed in the nearby Dyckman Housing Development on 10th Avenue.



The Wall Street Journal reports that a police official revealed that Blake spoke to his wife by telephone before the accident, telling her 'he had done something awful that was going to cause his life to be over'.



He went home and appeared distraught, taking out a handgun and threatening to shoot himself.

'He looked unconscious. He was lying there and he looked half dead ... He wasn’t wearing shoes or socks'

The newspaper reported that the wife told police that he didn't pull the trigger, instead taking clothes and leaving.

Blake is described as 6ft 8in tall and weighing 230lb, has 11 prior arrests dating back to 1999, including arrests for assault and car theft.

Linda M. Foglia, a spokeswoman for the New York State Department of Correctional Services, told the New York Times that Blake had also used the alias Adrian Burnett, and had been convicted under both names.



She also revealed he had a penchant for BMWs, adding: 'At one point, he stole a 2000 BMW car, valued at $80,000. Then, he possessed a stolen 2001 BMW.'

Another time, she said, he stole 'another BMW worth $79,000'.