Man charged with strangling daughter in Palmyra in 2019, dumping body in New York park

A 56-year-old New York man has been charged with murdering his daughter in Palmyra before dumping her body in a Staten Island park in 2019, according to court documents.

Kabary Salem has been charged with one count of criminal homicide and one count of strangulation following the death of his daughter.

At 8:48 a.m. Oct. 24, 2019, the body of 25-year-old Ola Salem was found by two passers-by covered with leaves and branches in Bloomingdale Park in Staten Island. Court documents said she was fully clothed, and her New York state identification card was in her pocket.

An autopsy was performed Oct. 25, 2019, by Dr. Anne Hoffa of the New York Office of the Medical Examiner.

"Dr. Hoffa determined that the cause of death was asphyxia, and the manner of death was homicide," investigators said in court documents. "The victim had injuries consistent with strangulation, blunt force trauma to the head, minor blunt force trauma to the torso, and minor contusions to the arm, leg, and hand."

Kabary Salem told the New York City Police Department on Oct. 24, 2019, that he recently co-purchased a restaurant in the 600 block of East Main Street in Palmyra. He went to New York on Oct. 22 to pick up Ola Salem to help him paint the establishment.

The pair stayed overnight with a friend in Waynesboro before going to the restaurant on Oct. 23, Kabary Salem allegedly told New York City police. After attempting to paint the facility, Kabary and Ola then headed for the Knights Inn when they got into an argument.

"Salem states that he and Ola ended up driving back to the restaurant and Salem reports that he had to physically remove Ola from the car by grabbing her by the neck," investigators said in court documents. "Salem reported that Ola then walked away from the car and Salem saw her get into an unknown black sedan approximately 2 blocks away from the restaurant."

Kabary Salem said this was the last time he saw Ola, and drove back to Staten Island around 12:15 p.m. on Oct. 24, 2019, according to court documents.

The New York City Police Department learned that Kabary Salem had rented a Toyota Camry in Piscataway Township, New Jersey, that was equipped with GPS tracking. At 8:47 Oct 23, 2019, Kabary Salem traveled to the Palmyra Lowe's hardware store, according to court documents.

"Salem is captured on this video surveillance inside of the Lowe's and is alone," investigators said. "Salem purchases a shovel with U.S. Currency. GPS records indicate that he then returns to the restaurant in Palmyra."

GPS data indicates that Salem's vehicle left Palmyra around 2:20 a.m. and arrived in Bloomindale Park at 4:40 a.m. Investigators said he arrived at "the precise location where Ola Salem's body" was found later that morning.

The vehicle left the park in about 10 minutes and returned to Palmyra around 7:33 a.m. Oct. 24, 2019. Salem then left the area for a final time around 11 a.m. and returned the rental car in New Jersey around 3:52 p.m.

"Approximately 4 days after the voluntary interview of Kabary Salem by the NYPD, Salem fled the United States, where he remained until his arrest for this homicide in December of 2020 by the NYPD," court documents state.

Investigators recovered a DNA sample from under Ola Salem's fingernails, and were able to match it with a sample they obtained from Kabary Salam's drinking cup during the interview. Investigators also determined Ola Salem had been dead for approximately 8 hours prior to having her body dumped at the park, determining that she was still in the Palmyra area when she was killed, according to court documents.

The case was referred to the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General by Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf on June 19, 2024, according to court documents.

Kabary Salem is being held at the Lebanon County Correctional Facility without bail as of Thursday morning. An arraignment is scheduled before Lebanon County Court of Common Pleas Judge Donna Long Brightbill at 11 a.m. Sept. 5.

Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on X at @DAMattToth.

This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: New York man charged with strangling daughter in Palmyra PA in 2019