Son of Time Warner chairman found bound, killed

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The son of Time Warner chairman Gerald Levin was killed by a gunshot to his head, authorities said Tuesday, but the circumstances of his death remained unclear.

The body of Jonathan Levin, 31, was found Monday in his Upper West Side apartment. Police were investigating a report he was seen alive on Saturday.

In addition to being shot, he was stabbed in the chest, according to a police source. His feet were bound with duct tape, and tape on his hands had been cut or broken through, according to New York police inspector Mike Collins.

The apartment showed no sign of forced entry, and police do not believe Levin was robbed.

Levin was an English teacher at Taft High School in the Bronx. When he did not report for work Monday, five teachers went to his apartment joined by a neighbor, Richard Veloso, who had a key.

Veloso said he found the body in the kitchen; the apartment door was locked and there were no signs of a struggle.

Students at Taft High School were stunned by the news of Levin's death. Many stood crying in early morning drizzle outside the school, where Levin was known as a teacher dedicated to his students. They described a friendly, outgoing man.

"He liked to help all the kids," one student said.

Jonathan Levin was the eldest of five children. Richard Parsons, president of Time Warner, released the following statement Tuesday:

"We are shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Jonathan Levin. The sympathy, love and prayers of all the women and men of Time Warner go out to Jerry, Barbara, Carol Levin and the entire Levin family. This is a time of profound grief for them. It is our sincere hope they will be accorded the privacy needed to mourn this devastating loss and to begin the process of healing."

Time Warner is the parent company of Cable News Network.

• Newsmaker Profile: Gerald Levin

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