48 Hours on ID: Who is Evan Wald?

Roslyn Pilmar and her brother, Evan Wald, were convicted in the 1996 stabbing case of NYC businessman Howard Pilmar - a perplexing mystery that was only solved two decades later. The prosecution alleged that the motive was financial, and they were both found guilty of second-degree murder, receiving respective sentences of 25 years to life each.

ID's 48 Hours revisits Pilmar's gruesome death, who was stabbed more than 40 times. Due to a lack of evidence, the case went cold and was only reopened two decades after his death. Evidence found at the crime scene and a key witness's testimony eventually helped investigators bring the killers to justice.

The synopsis of the episode, titled Who Wanted Howard Pilmar Dead? says:

"New York City businessman Howard Pilmar is murdered in the headquarters of his successful office supply store in 1996; investigators believed the killer had to be someone close to him."

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Roslyn Pilmar and her brother Evan Wald were the last people to visit Howard on the night of the murder

Howard Pilmar spent most of his life working for his family's office supply business, King Office Supply. He started working at a young age and finally took over the family business.

Sources state that Pilmar's wife, Roslyn, and his brother-in-law, Evan Wald, visited him the night before his tragic demise when he was at his office around 6 pm. In a subsequent interview, Wald claimed that he and Pilmar went to the gym for a quick workout session before returning to the office, after which he and Roslyn left.

The following morning at 5.45 am, when a worker for King Office Supply arrived at the office, he discovered Mr. Pilmar on the floor in a pool of blood. For more than 20 years, the case remained unsolved. From the beginning, authorities were certain that someone who knew the victim was behind the grisly crime.

As they dug deeper, authorities learned that Pilmar's brother-in-law Evan Wald and wife, Roslyn, had both visited his workplace on the night of the murder. They also discovered that Roslyn Pilmar could receive almost $1,000,000 through life insurance following her husband's demise. Additionally, they saw cuts on Wald's hand while questioning him.

As years went by, police never uncovered enough proof to file charges or make arrests. In 2017, Roslyn and Evan were detained when detectives discovered fresh evidence.

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Howard Pilmar's wife and brother-in-law were found guilty after more than two decades

A jury deliberated for nearly four days before finding Roslyn Pilmar and Evan Wald guilty of second-degree murder in March 2019. The prosecution based their case entirely on circumstantial evidence, hoping it would be strong enough to vindicate Pilmar.

Throughout the course of the trial, the prosecution painted Roslyn, 61, and Wald, 45, as vengeful siblings who, in March 1996, lured Howard Pilmar and killed him to settle debts and personal grievances. It was alleged that Roslyn had not revealed her financial problems to her husband.

Additionally, the prosecution claimed that Evan Wald and his sister's husband's bond became tense as Roslyn Pilmar struggled with money. Wald, who worked for his brother-in-law, believed he was frequently too harsh. The brother considered himself his sister's guardian when the Pilmars' marriage started to have issues.

Forensics also found Evan Wald's blood at the crime scene. Moreover, according to the authorities, a left-handed person was responsible for stabbing the victim, and the wounds discovered on Wald's left hand supported the theory.