Estranged Spouse Booked For Murder
A South Richmond Hill man was arraigned on second-degree murder charges and other counts last Wednesday, Jan. 25, for allegedly murdering his estranged wife as their children watched in her Richmond Hill home, it was announced.
Oscar Novakovsky, 37, of 121st Street in South Richmond Hill, arraigned last Wednesday, Jan. 25, before Queens Criminal Court Judge Suzanne Melendez on a nine-count complaint which includes the charges of second-degree murder, aggravated criminal contempt, second-degree criminal contempt, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of a weapon.
Novakovsky faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison for allegedly stabbing Diane Sharma, 32, to death during an apparent dispute in her Richmond Hill home early on the morning of Jan. 15. During his arraignment hearing, he was ordered held without bail and to return to court on Feb. 7.
“It is difficult to imagine a crime more heinous than that of a father viciously attacking his wife in front of their three small children,” said Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown in a statement. “The children will have to bear the emotional scars of what they witnessed for the rest of their lives. The charges against [Novakovsky] will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Reportedly, Novakovsky attacked his estranged wife between midnight and 1 a.m. on Jan. 15, stabbing her in the neck with a knife, in the presence of their three children, ages three, five and nine.
Members of the 102nd Precinct responded to the scene along with EMS units moments later; Sharma was found with a knife protruding from her neck and multiple lacerations on her arms and hands. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the criminal complaint, Novakovsky was taken into custody by police during a search of the surrounding area. In statements made to police, Brown said, the suspect allegedly claimed that “the kids were screaming” and “were trying to pull me off and were crying.”
Following questioning by the 102nd Precinct Detective Squad, Novakovsky was officially charged with Sharma’s murder. He was also treated at a local hospital for various lacerations he obtained during the incident.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Patricia A. Diaz of the Homicide Investigations Bureau and Karen L. Ross of the Homicide Trials Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Peter T. Reese, Homicide Investigations Bureau chief; Peter J. McCormack III, deputy bureau chief; Brad A. Leventhal, chief of the Homicide Trials Bureau; and Jack Warsawsky, deputy bureau chief.
