Aug 4, 2009 10:22 am US/Eastern
Murdered Millionaire Still Awaits Proper Burial
Ben Novack Jr.'s Body Still At Westchester County Morgue, Three Weeks And A Day After His Mysterious Murder
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Ben Novack Jr. grew up in a penthouse at a fancy hotel, but the Florida millionaire who was murdered at a Westchester hotel last month has yet to receive a proper burial.
Three weeks and a day after his death, his body is still at the Westchester County morgue and his family is outraged.
Medical examiner Dr. Millard Hyland said that he released the body 19 days ago, but Novack's wife, Narcy, still has not claimed it.
"We have obtained all of the information we feel we can from the autopsy," Hyland said.
On July 12, Narcy Novack left him alone for an hour at the Rye Town Hilton Hotel, went to breakfast, returned to their room and found him dead.
The medical examiner said Novack had been bound with duct tape and beaten to death.
Westchester County said it's policy is to hold a body for up to a month. If it remains unclaimed after 30 days, arrangements are made to give the corpse a pauper's burial.
Novack reportedly wanted to be laid to rest in the family mausoleum at Mount Lebanon Cemetery in Queens, near his father, the founder of the famous Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami, but a lawyer for Novack's wife said she's trying to resolve certain "estate issues" and hopes to arrange for burial soon.
Meanwhile, Novack's aunt, Maxine Fiel, told CBS 2 HD she's outraged Narcy Novack hasn't taken care of this.
"He's been there for weeks, it's very upsetting," Fiel said. "It's just unconscionable. I'm trying to do everything I can to see he's put to rest with respect and dignity."
Police said Narcy Novack took a polygraph and "showed indications of deception when questioned" about the homicide, but her lawyer insisted she had nothing to do with Novack's death.
Novack's wife also told police he had lots of enemies and had quarreled with a man shortly before the murder.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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