Man beaten to death in iPhone robbery

Police in New York say a man has died weeks after a brutal beating during a robbery on the Lower East Side.

Police say Giovanni Destafano, 27, of Staten Island was attacked about 9:50 p.m. on Sunday October 20, 2019 on East 5 Street outside of the Lower East Side II Houses.

He died Sunday, November 10, 2019 at Bellevue Hospital.

Police say a man had approached Destafano from behind and punched him several times in the head and face before taking an iPhone 7 from the victim's pocket.

Police had found Destafano with swelling, bruising, and lacerations to his head and mouth.

The incident is now a homicide investigation and police have not made any arrests.

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