'Tragic': Brentwood Man Indicted For Fatally Stabbing Wife, Child: DA

BRENTWOOD, NY — A Brentwood man who fatally stabbed his wife and 2-year-old child last month was indicted in court on Monday, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced.

Zanoor Jaffari, 31, is charged with for two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder, prosecutors said.

He pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial, said Lawrence Carra, Jaffari's attorney.

On the afternoon of July 30, Suffolk County Police Department responded to emergency calls from the Jaffari family home in Brentwood.

Once inside the home, officers allegedly observed Jaffari with blood on his clothes, and recovered a knife which is alleged to be the murder weapon that he used during the alleged stabbings, prosecutors said.

Police also observed Jaffari’s wife, Misbah Batool, 33, and their 2-year-old daughter, Aiza, unconscious and bleeding from multiple stab wounds.

Both were taken to South Shore University Hospital, where they were pronounced deceased due to their injuries, police said.

Jaffari was then placed under arrest.

"As alleged, this defendant senselessly took the life of his wife and defenseless 2-year-old daughter, leaving both their family and the community devastated,” said Tierney. "Deadly domestic violence typically does not just happen overnight. It escalates over time, and, as seen here, can become lethal. I urge anyone who is a victim of or witnesses domestic violence, to please contact the Suffolk County Police Department or the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and help us prevent tragedies like this one."

The Honorable Anthony S. Senft ordered Jaffari be remanded without bail during the pendency of the case.

Jaffari is due back in court on Oct. 5.

Carra told Patch that this is "a very tragic incident", and he is waiting for various aspects of discovery that will "enlighten" the charges brought against Jaffari.

He also said there may be "certain psychiatric issues to be considered" as the case progresses.

Batool's parents traveled from India, their home country, to retrieve their daughter's and granddaughter's bodies. They returned to India where they were buried, Carra said.

"This is obviously a devastating situation to all of the parties involved," he said.