David Tarloff, Former Patient, Arrested in Meat Cleaver Murder of Psychologist

New York Police have made an arrest in the brutal knife and meat cleaver slaying of an Upper East Side psychologist in her office. The man arrested, 39-year-old David Tarloff, is a former patient of Kent Shinbach, the psychologist who shared a suite with the murdered therapist, Kathryn Faughey, whose funeral was held today.

Tarloff is a resident of the New York City borough of Queens, and is said to have a history of mental illness. He slashed Faughey 15 times with a meat cleaver and a 9-inch knife, and badly injured Shinbach, who heard the attack and came to help Faughey. Tarloff was identified by a partial palm print at the scene of the crime, which matched Tarloff's from a previous arrest.

Police said that Tarloff stated during questioning that he had gone to the office because Shinbach had him institutionalized in 1991. He said he originally intended to rob Shinbach.