Stabbed Estranged Spouse In Elmhurst
The estranged husband of a 33-year-old woman who was found stabbed to death inside his Elmhurst apartment building last week was formally charged with her murder by detectives last Thursday, June 14, according to police.
Law enforcement sources identified the suspect as 34-year-old Maximilano Lozada of Hampton Street in Elmhurst.
He was taken into custody by members of the 110th Precinct Detective Squad on counts of seconddegree murder and criminal possession of a weapon for the death of 33-year-old Luz Paulino, who was found slain in the hallway outside Lozada’s seventh-floor apartment on Hampton Street near Baxter Avenue last Monday night, June 11.
As reported in last week’s issue of the Times Newsweekly, Paulino-a resident of the Bronx-was discovered by residents and 110th Precinct officers with multiple stab wounds to her chest and lying in a pool of blood at around 8:50 p.m. She was brought by paramedics to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
According to the criminal complaint provided by the Queens District Attorney’s office, Lozada and Paulino were married but separated and living apart from each other. During an investigation, police learned from neighbors that they previously heard loud arguments emanating from their apartment while they were living together.
Surveillance camera footage recovered from the scene reportedly spotted Lozada entering an elevator and exiting at the seventh floor a short time before the murder took place, authorities said. He was then reportedly observed re-entering the elevator 20 minutes later while wearing different clothing and having something wrapped around his hand.
The criminal complaint noted that additional security camera footage spotted Lozada allegedly entering and exiting a rear stairwell and wiping blood away from his hand.
During their investigation, law enforcement sources noted, police of- ficers found a trail of blood leading from the Hampton Street apartment house to the Denman Street residence of Lozada’s mother, about five blocks away. Authorities stated that blood was found on the dining room table and in the kitchen.
Lozada, who was observed by detectives with a laceration on his right index finger, numerous bruises to his forearms and a bruise and a scratch to his chest, was later brought in to the 110th Precinct Detective Squad for questioning and was subsequently charged last Monday.
Court records noted that Lozada was arraigned last Friday, June 15, in Queens Criminal Court before Judge Michael Yavinsky, who ordered him held without bail. He is scheduled to return to court on July 27.
