Brother of 'Milkshake Murder' Victim Stabbed to Death

GREENWICH, Conn. – The brother of an investment banker poisoned in Hong Kong in what became known as the "milkshake murder" was found stabbed to death in his home, police said.

When movers found the body of 46-year-old Andrew M. Kissel on Monday, his hands and feet were bound, a manager for JB Moving Services in Stamford said. There were no signs of forced entry or burglary, Police Chief James Walters said.

"This was not a random act," he said. "We do believe that Mr. Kissel was the intended target of this assault."

He was last seen alive Sunday afternoon by an acquaintance, police said.

Greenwich police were interviewing friends and family members, including Kissel's wife, Hayley, police said. No immediate arrests were made.

Walters would not comment on a motive, whether a weapon was recovered or whether there were suspects. Police began searching the home for evidence and drained the swimming pool.

At the time of his death, Kissel was facing federal and state criminal charges in New York. The federal case charged him with real estate fraud, and state prosecutors charged him with grand larceny, alleging he stole nearly $4 million from his Manhattan apartment cooperative.

"We're certainly aware of the criminal and civil problems he was facing, and they will play a role in the investigation," Walters said.

Kissel's attorney Philip Russell said Kissel had planned to plead guilty Thursday in connection with the federal case in New York.

"Andrew did bad things," his father, William, told The Associated Press Tuesday. "He took money from a lot of people. He was killed in an extremely vengeful, angry way."

William Kissel said his son was killed in the basement of the house.

"Someone got in there in a very narrow timeline," William Kissel said. "Someone had to know something."

Andrew Kissel's brother, Robert, was killed in 2003 after his wife, Nancy, fed him a drug-laced milkshake and beat him to death with a statuette. She was convicted of murder and is serving a life sentence.

Andrew Kissel and his recently estranged wife temporarily cared for his brother's three children before the youngsters were formally handed over to the custody of the Kissels' sister.

In divorce papers, Hayley Kissel said her husband had sought treatment for a drinking problem and had committed fraud against her, including forging powers of attorney to transfer property she owned in Vermont and converting assets for his own use in violation of court orders. The couple have two children.

Joseph Martini, her attorney, had little comment.

"Right now, she is focused on her children and trying to get them through what is obviously a tragic ordeal for them and trying to get herself through it," Martini said.

Kissel also was being sued by a former business partner.