By Howard Koplowitz
A Georgia man was convicted last week for the 1999 murder of his Richmond Hill cousin, who was having an affair with his wife, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said Friday.
Tahir Naqvi, 49, of Columbus, Ga., was arrested in Georgia on murder charges in 2006 after he spent seven years on the run, Brown said.
Naqvi stalked his cousin, Irfan Naqvi, outside his Metropolitan Avenue home Aug. 14, 1999, at about 3:45 p.m. after he learned his cousin was having an affair with his wife, Brown said.
When Irfan Naqvi left the house to go to a family wedding, Tahir Naqvi accosted him and fired two shots at him, the DA said.
As Irfan Naqvi crawled to the ground, his cousin fired another shot before dragging him onto the sidewalk, Brown said.
Tahir Naqvi then straddled his cousin’s body and shot him twice — once in the shoulder and a fatal shot to the brain, the DA said.
A 14-year-old girl witnessed the murder on her way to church and picked Tahir Naqvi out of a photo lineup and testified against the defendant at trial, Brown said.
Tahir Naqvi was convicted last Thursday afternoon of murder and criminal possession of a weapon following a jury trial before Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder, Brown said.
Tahir Naqvi faces 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 20, the DA said.
“The defendant has taken a life and shattered a family,” Brown said in a statement. “It took 10 years to bring him to justice and his conviction warrants imposition of a maximum prison sentence to punish him and protect society.”
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
