Four Manhattan mugging victims picked “Spider-man” suspect Naftali Triplett out of lineups yesterday before he was hauled back to Brooklyn to face murder charges, police said.
Triplett, 21, was held without bail after being arraigned on second-degree murder and weapons charges for the Dec. 26 stabbing death of a Brooklyn custodian.
Police say he confessed to the slaying and to a string of Manhattan robberies that included a daring escape from the 19th floor of a high-rise last week.
“I’m really relieved that he’s off the street and I hope he’s in jail for a long time,” said Dr. Rajiv Kinkhabwala, who was stabbed by “Spider-man” during a Jan. 8 holdup. “He seems like a pretty brazen criminal.”
The thug accosted the internist near NYU Medical Center, stuck a dagger in his back, knocked him to the ground and made off with his wallet, containing $40.
Kinkhabwala said his own ordeal was terrifying, but when he heard that Triplett is also accused of a vicious slaying, he realized it could have been much worse.
“It makes me feel lucky I’m alive,” he said.
Triplett was nabbed at the Canadian border Sunday night with a fake passport, a sword, a dagger and a hunting knife, authorities said.
Detectives say he was planning to flee to Germany with the proceeds of his weeklong mugging spree, in order to escape the rap in the murder of Hunter College custodian Paul Farrell.
The 47-year-old father of three was stabbed eight times in Lincoln Terrace Park in Crown Heights.
His widow, Darrett Farrell, told The Post her husband had just become a grandfather.
“I had never seen him more happy,” she said.
“He was so excited and proud. Wherever he went, he would talk about his new grandson. He was on top of the world, and now he’ll never get to see his grandson again.”
Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney Diana Villanueva said Triplett, an incense vendor, beat Farrell and then fatally stabbed him.
Triplett will return to court Jan. 28.