By Howard Koplowitz
A Woodhaven barber stabbed his wife to death in their Jamaica Avenue apartment Sunday before fatally stabbing himself, police and business owners said.
Eusebio Salazar, 75, repeatedly stabbed his 51-year-old wife, Geraldina Salazar, in the neck and torso inside their apartment at 95-18 Jamaica Ave. at around 7:35 p.m., police said.
The wife was taken to Jamaica Hospital, where she died at around 8:24 p.m. Sunday, police said. Eusebio Salazar was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
The couple owned Selvin’s Unisex Hair Salon next door to their upstairs apartment, where Eusebio cut hair, business owners said.
A woman working in the salon Monday said she did not speak English. Signs were posted in the front window of the business in Spanish, informing patrons that it was not opened on Sundays in the summer.
Mikhail Gavrilov, owner of the MedEx Pharmacy on the corner of Jamaica Avenue and 96th Street, said Eusebio Salazar was recently in the hospital with a heart-related condition and that his wife was taking care of him.
“They are our customers,” Gavrilov said. “It’s unbelievable. We still cannot believe what happened. He was a very nice man. I still refuse to believe this, that something like this is going on.”
Gavrilov said Eusebio was mild-mannered, adding to his disbelief.
“I’m really shocked because the guy never came with an attitude, ever,” he said. “He never had any aggressive behavior. Nice, polite, minded his business.”
The owner of a 99-cent store adjacent to the Salazars’ apartment who asked to be identified by his first name, Lou, said he could not think of a reason why Eusebio stabbed his wife and then himself.
“He was a nice guy,” Lou said. “I don’t know what happened.”
The owner of Jeebo’s Pizza, on the same block as the apartment, said the couple and their grown, mentally-handicapped son would often come in to buy a slice.
“As far as I know, they were nice people,” he said.
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
