Monday, March 23, 2009

According to the New York City Police Department (NYPD), George Weber, a longtime radio reporter for WABC in New York City, was found dead with several stab wounds to his body yesterday morning at his home in Brooklyn, New York. He was 47 years old, and would have turned 48 today. The NYPD has confirmed Weber’s death as a homicide and are waiting results from yesterday’s autopsy which should come in later today.

Weber worked for WABC for 12 years, appearing on such shows as Curtis and Kuby, giving news updates for listeners at the top and bottom of every hour. After he was laid off by the station last year due to a change in programing, he was working as a freelance reporter for ABC News Radio, a national network. In his career before WABC, he worked for KTLK and KMPC, located in Los Angeles, California and KGO in San Francisco, California.

“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the death of our colleague and friend George Weber, who was the victim of what police have deemed a homicide at his home in Brooklyn. An investigation has been launched by NYPD and we have been assisting them. Our condolences and prayers go out to George’s family and friends at this very difficult time. He really loved news radio and enjoyed being on the air and enjoyed the connection he had with his listeners. He also loved Brooklyn and his neighborhood,” said Steve Jones, the vice president of ABC News Radio in a statement released to the media.

Currently, the NYPD thinks that Weber was killed Friday while in bed. They are looking into the possibility that he was stabbed to death by a date, as there were no signs of a break-in into the apartment, and the front door was locked. The NYPD could not retrieve the weapon used in the homicide.

“News ran through his veins and arteries 24 hours a day. He wasn’t a rip-and-read newsman. He wanted to be there,” said Curtis Sliwa, who worked with Weber as a co-host at WABC, “And you know what his trick was? He’d pack up his dog, Noodles, a dachshund, and walk him there. People would see the dog, they’d pet the dog, they’d get a level of comfort with him. And then he could get them to talk.”