QUEENS, NY – Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the indictment of Kevin Ogara, 58, for the death of his neighbor in an Astoria apartment building. Ogara faces charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.
DA Katz described the incident, stating that the victim, Rene Montalvo Peredo, 60, was pushed down the stairs as he walked away from Ogara, rendering him unable to defend himself. The DA’s office pledged to seek justice in court.
The incident occurred on November 3, at about 6:51 PM, in their apartment building on 44th Street, Astoria. Video surveillance showed Montalvo Peredo, appearing intoxicated, entering Ogara’s apartment and then leaving, followed by a confrontation between the two men. Ogara pushed Montalvo Peredo as he walked towards the staircase.
First responders found Montalvo Peredo unresponsive on the stairwell landing. He suffered a skull fracture, cerebral edema, and a hypoxic brain injury, leading to his death three days later, on November 6. Ogara, charged with first and second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted. Justice Edwin Novillo has scheduled a court return for Ogara on March 5, 2024.