Multiple law enforcement agencies are feverishly searching for Guatemalan national Carolos Chitay, 28, for allegedly running over a beloved Long Island nun earlier this month, the Post has learned.
Chitay is the prime suspect in the brutal hit and run killing of Sister Jackie Walsh, 59, of Syosset, as she went out for a stroll near the site of a religious retreat in Water Mill on July 10.
Cop sources said they missed the elusive suspect by 15 minutes in Suffolk County and that he is believed to be out of the state at this point.
An East End estate caretaker for several years, Chitay was working at the mansion of affluent businessman Andrew Zaro when he took his boss’ 2009 Volkswagen Touraeg and allegedly slammed into the beloved nun before dumping the car roughly a half mile away.
Zaro recently told the Post that Chitay called him shortly after the accident and that he begged him to turn himself in to police.
But Chitay chose to flee and has managed to elude capture for several weeks. Cops are now asking for the public’s help in nabbing the suspect after several leads have turned up cold.
Chitay’s former roommate, Marvin Lejarza, told the Post that the fugitive has likely left Long Island and perhaps the country in his desperate attempt to avoid answering to the brutal hit and run.
Chitay has two arrests for driving without a license on Long Island with the most recent occurring in 2010 in Ridge. That accident results in a crash with another vehicle.
Police sources said that they have followed up on several substantiated leads but that Chitay’s undocumented status has made it difficult to nail down his whereabouts.
“We believe he is is out of the state at this point,” said Southampton Town Police Chief William Wilson. “We will continue our search wherever it takes us, as long as it takes.”