New York City – In a tragic incident late Friday night, two men died in what police are investigating as a murder-suicide linked to a family dispute over their shared home. The New York City Police Department responded to reports of gunfire shortly before midnight in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found the two men with gunshot wounds to the head. Emergency medical teams pronounced the 37-year-old dead at the location, while his 41-year-old cousin was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. A firearm was recovered at the scene, near the older man.
Relatives revealed that the two men were cousins embroiled in a disagreement regarding the sale of their family home, which had been on the market for around a month at an asking price of $600,000. Sources indicated the dispute centered on how to divide the proceeds from the sale. An uncle of the men shared that the younger cousin had been given power of attorney to facilitate the sale due to his expertise in real estate, positioning him as the primary seller.
The uncle, who resides in the basement of the home, discovered the younger man’s body after a concerned partner had waited for hours without hearing from him. A neighbor noted that the partner indicated the man’s truck had been parked outside since noon, raising concerns about his whereabouts.
Upon entering the dimly lit house, the uncle and the partner found the younger man’s body near the door. “She turned on the light and there he was,” the uncle recounted, noting the immediate panic that followed. Realizing the potential danger, he urged them both to leave, fearing that the shooter might still be inside the home.
Witnesses have reported that conflicts between the cousins regarding the home’s sale had escalated prior to the incident. It remains unclear how long the shooter stayed in the house after the tragedy. The police investigation is ongoing, and the identities of the men have not yet been released to the public.
The local community is left in shock as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The uncle’s reiteration of the familial rift over financial matters underscores a heartbreaking end to what should have been a collaborative process among relatives.
For those struggling with mental health issues or experiencing emotional distress, help is available 24/7 at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or visiting 988lifeline.org.