By Rebecca Henely
A 52-year-old Queensbridge man has been charged with killing his 32-year-old stepdaughter and wounding his 57-year-old estranged wife Monday morning on the day that his divorce trial was to begin, the Queens district attorney’s office said.
The double shooting stunned the quiet Astoria neighborhood, where the mother and daughter lived in a brick attached house.
Guerino Annarumma, who lives on 12th Street near 42nd Avenue in Long Island City, allegedly rented a car with New Jersey plates Monday morning and lay in wait outside Olga Annarumma’s house on 38th Street between 23rd Avenue and Ditmars Boulevard with a .38-caliber gun, the DA said.
When his estranged wife came out to walk her dog before 9 a.m., Guerino Annarumma allegedly confronted her, threw her on the ground and kicked her in the face, the DA said. He then is accused of dragging Olga Annarumma up to the front door and ringing the bell, which was answered by his stepdaughter, Valeria Lowery.
Guerino Annarumma then entered the house and is charged with shooting Olga Annarumma in the head and Lowery in her head and torso, the DA said.
Both women were taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where Lowery was pronounced dead on arrival and Olga Annarumma remained in critical condition as of Tuesday afternoon, the DA said.
DA Richard Brown said Guerino Annarumma was arrested in the attacks later that day, which was the day his divorce proceedings against Olga Annarumma were scheduled to start in Queens Supreme Court.
“I knew he was a bit nutty, but I never thought this would happen,” said attorney Helene Sherman, who has represented Olga Annarumma for about a year and a half in her case against Guerino Annarumma and was shocked when she heard about the shootings.
Astoria resident Billy Saketos, 37, was walking his 4-year-old daughter to school when he heard the shots.
“I didn’t know where the shots came from, so I picked up my daughter and ran,” Saketos said.
He said that when he came back to the scene, he saw the women on stretchers.
Annarumma was arrested at his Queensbridge apartment and arraigned before Queens Supreme Court Judge Lenora Gerald on charges of murder, attempted murder, assault, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and tampering with physical evidence, the DA said. He faces up to 50 years to life in prison if convicted, the DA said.
Sherman said the Annarummas have been married for 5 1/2 years and that at different points in their relationship, Guerino Annarumma took the keys for Olga Annarumma’s car and trailer in Connecticut.
He was arrested and convicted of stalking and Olga Annarumma had an order of protection against him, although it had expired by the time of the attack.
Sherman said he was so controlling that when Olga Annarumma filed for divorce against him in Brooklyn Supreme Court in November 2009, Guerino Annarumma filed for divorce in Queens Supreme Court in January 2010. Sherman said she thought Guerino Annarumma felt he needed to be the plaintiff.
“Guerino Annarumma also operated a blog titled “Valeria Kuzmina Lowery.” The blog contains eight disturbing posts accusing Olga Annarumma and Lowery of immigration fraud and blaming Lowery for ruining his marriage. Pictures of both women and what is allegedly Lowery’s passport are also posted.
“I will always love you and your mother but I don’t like you no more,” Guerino Annarumma wrote. “I put your passport online. You are going to pay for whatever you did. I dont [sic] play no games. Good Luck, Bye Bye Bye.”
Guerino Annarumma has been held without bail and his next court date is Dec. 21.
Reach reporter Rebecca Henely by e-mail at rhenely@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
