Husband Accused Of Beating Wife To Death Last Year, DA Says

QUEENS, NY — A 50-year-old man has been arrested and charged for allegedly beating his wife to death inside their apartment last year, police announced on Tuesday.

Jose Lequerica was arrested Tuesday morning in Queens and has been charged with two counts of second degree murder, police said. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The 50-year-old is accused of attacking Ak Asli, 48, in their apartment near 72nd Street and 37th Avenue on Nov. 15, 2024.

Lequerica allegedly hit Asli in the face, head, and body, prosecutors said. He then left the apartment for two hours, returned and went to sleep on the couch.

The next morning, the defendant entered the bedroom of their apartment and found the victim unconscious on the floor. Lequerica allegedly did not call the police until 6:22 p.m.

Asli was taken to the hospital with severe bruising to her face, head, and body. She was declared brain-dead on November 20, 2024. Her cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head. The autopsy revealed that she had severe head injuries, including a hematoma that caused swelling inside the head, crushing her brain stem.

“Domestic violence is a plague in our communities that must be rooted out at the core. The defendant is accused of intentionally killing his wife through blunt force trauma and allegedly waiting over seven hours to call 911 after finding her unconscious. Far too often, victims are made to feel isolated and alone, leading to heartbreaking results. Please know that there are resources available to help you safely escape a dangerous domestic situation. My thoughts are with the victim’s family and friends as we seek to hold the defendant responsible,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.

It is unclear at this time why Lequerica was not taken into custody after the incident.

He is being held in jail without bail after his arraignment.