QUEENS, N.Y. — A Queens man has been indicted for the fatal beating of his wife last November, accused of inflicting injuries so severe they crushed her brain stem, authorities said.
Jose Lequerica, 50, was arrested Tuesday at his home on 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights by officers from the NYPD’s 115th Precinct. He has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the death of his wife, 48-year-old Asli Ak.
The attack occurred on the night of November 15 inside the couple’s apartment. According to the Queens District Attorney’s Office, Lequerica repeatedly struck Ak in the face, head, and body during a violent assault in their bedroom.
After the beating, prosecutors say Lequerica left the home for two hours and, upon returning, chose to sleep on the couch without checking on Ak’s condition. The next morning, at approximately 10:45 a.m., he reportedly found her unconscious on the bedroom floor but did not seek help for several hours.
He eventually called 911 at 6:22 p.m. Emergency responders transported Ak to Elmhurst Hospital, where doctors found she had sustained extensive trauma to her face, head, and body. She was declared brain-dead on November 20.
“On the morning of Nov. 17th, I got a visit from detectives of the 115th precinct informing me that my sister Asli was in Elmhurst Hospital with a severe head injury. This crushed my soul, but still, I remained positive and optimistic despite what I was told. Life hit hard 3 days later on November 20th when she was pronounced dead. At 48 years old, we lost her too soon. This has come as a shock to all who knew her. We would like to see the ongoing police investigation through and justice served,” said her brother Osman Ak.
An autopsy later confirmed the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide.
“The autopsy revealed that she had severe head injuries including a hematoma that caused swelling inside the head, crushing her brain stem,” the Queens DA’s office said in a statement.
Lequerica pleaded not guilty during his arraignment before Supreme Court Justice Ira Margulis.
The family is hosting a GoFundMe fundraiser to help the family financially.
