NYC nightlife "icon" found strangled in his apartment

NEW YORK -- A former club operator described as an icon in New York City’s gay community was found strangled to death in his Manhattan apartment Wednesday, reports CBS New York.

Police tell the station there were no signs of forced entry and nothing was taken from the home of 54-year-old Sayvon Zabar. Police were on Friday questioning Zabar’s roommate, the station reports.

Zabar — known as “Big Ben” — was reportedly the former manager of the now- defunct nightclubs New Esquelita and XL.DNAInfo reports the clubs were the focal points of New York City’s “Voguing” scene.

“He was really well known,” Carlos Arenas, who used to work at one of Zabar’s clubs, told DNAinfo. “The club life was his passion. He was a big staple in the gay community. That was his thing, he was an entertainer.”

A GoFundMe page set up in his memory describes Zabar as “a friend, a boss, an icon in the nightlife in NYC.”

No one has been charged in the case.