By Ivan Pereira
A Queens Village man is under arrest for allegedly stabbing a New Jersey man to death near a Bellerose house following an argument at a party early Sunday morning, the Queens district attorney said.
James Lizon, 41, of Jersey City, N.J., was found by officers with knife wounds to his chest around 1:30 a.m. at a house at 88th Avenue and 239th Street, police said. The man was taken to Long Island Jewish Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival, according to authorities.
Investigators say the man was stabbed outside following a party at the house. Ranjit Singh, 42, of Springfield Boulevard, was arraigned Monday night on second-degree murder, tampering with evidence and criminal possession of a weapon charges, according to the DA’s office.
Singh was at a party that was being hosted by a friend when he got into an argument with Lizon, the DA’s office said. He allegedly went into the kitchen. retrieved a knife and stabbed the New Jersey man before fleeing the scene and disposing of the weapon on the ground a few yards away, according to the DA.
Singh was arrested later in the day at his apartment, the DA said.
The homicide shocked elderly residents on the block, who said such incidents never occurred in the neighborhood.
“This has been a wonderful community,” said Teresa McCreary, a resident who has lived on the block for 50 years.
McCreary said the couple who lived in the house where the stabbing took place had only lived there for about three years. Another neighbor who asked not to be named said the man and woman usually kept to themselves.
The neighbor said the police usually visited the house from time to time, but did not know what the situation was.
The investigation was ongoing, according to police. Investigators spent the rest of the day combing the house for more evidence related to the murder.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4546.
