By Christina Santucci
Two men in their 20s lost their lives over the weekend in western Queens murders, police said.
A 25-year-old man was fatally stabbed in front of a Roosevelt Avenue restaurant in Corona early Saturday, and less than 24 hours later a 23-year-old Richmond Hill native was gunned down on Liberty Avenue, the NYPD said.
Furman Herrera-Martinez, who lived less than four blocks from where he was attacked, was found with stab wounds to his chest and arm near Seba-Seba, at 96-06 Roosevelt Ave., just before 6 a.m. Saturday, police said.
A spokesman for the NYPD said Monday that Corona resident Abel Galindo, 23, was arrested and charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon in Herrera-Martinez’s death after turning himself in to police.
Raymond Pinera, manager of El Hornero Bakery, which is across the street from Seba-Seba, said he arrived at the shop later in the morning and the entire street was blocked off.
“It’s terrible,” he said. “Killed for nothing.”
Early Sunday, Gerrard Edwards was shot and killed in Richmond Hill after several men tried to jump him, police and the man’s friends said.
Officers were called at about 3:30 a.m. to respond to Liberty Avenue and 112th Street, where they found Edwards, who had been shot in the torso, the NYPD said.
Emergency responders took him to Jamaica Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to cops. An investigation was ongoing, police said Monday.
Friends who gathered around a makeshift memorial of flowers and candles Sunday afternoon said Edwards worked for a home health company delivering hospital beds and other medical supplies.
“He looked out for everyone,” Nelissa Sankar said. “He had a golden heart.”
Edwards grew up in Richmond Hill and lived less than a mile from where he was shot, but his parents were split between Poughkeepsie and Trinidad, friends said.
“He was always smiling, the life of the party,” said a friend who did not want to be identified and added that Edwards was a fan of the musician Drake.
The friend said Edwards and a few buddies were hanging out on the corner when several men got into a fight with Edwards and tried to jump him.
“One of them pulled out a gun and shot five times,” he said.
Junior Vassell said he came outside after the altercation had begun and saw his friend get shot.
“Gerrard turned around and he went to sit on the floor, and that was that,” he said.
“He was like a brother to me,” Vassell said. “He was my best friend.”
Friends said Edwards had been close with another murder victim, Stephen James, 21, who was stabbed to death at Liberty Avenue and 123rd Street in May.
Edwards’ Facebook account shows photo montages of a memorial to James with the phrase “RIP Sha Baby.”
Reach managing editor Christina Santucci by e-mail at timesledgerphotos@gmail.com by phone at 718-260-4589.
