By Madina Toure
The death of a man in Kew Gardens Hills home on Valentine’s Day was ruled a homicide, the Queens district attorney said.
Popal Rahmatullah, 21, of Kew Gardens Hills was charged with burglary, robbery and criminal possession of stolen property, according to the criminal complaint filed by the Queens DA.
Lopyan, 56, was found dead in his home at 141-27 77th Ave. in Kew Gardens Hills Feb. 14 at about 8:37 a.m. He was pronounced dead at 8:50 a.m.
The cause of death was cardiac arrhythmia during the physical altercation due to hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to Julie Bolcer, a spokeswoman for the city medical examiner.
Between 8 a.m. and 8:50 a.m. Feb. 14, Rahmatullah went to Lopyan’s house to collect $200 Lopyan owed him, according to the criminal complaint. Lopyan gave him a blank check and threw him out of the house, the DA’s court papers said.
He allegedly re-entered the house through the basement, where he is accused of kicking Lopyan in the stomach, the complaint said. Lopyan allegedly punched Rahmatullah in the face. picked up a piece of plastic roofing and used it to shove Lopyan away from him, the DA said.
Rahmatullah saw Lopyan hit his head on the door and fall to the floor onto his back, the complaint said. He allegedly got on top of Lopyan as he had a seizure and held him down with the piece of roofing until he stopped moving, according to the complaint.
Between 9:50 a.m. and 10:07 a.m., Rahmatullah yelled and screamed at a Mobil gas station at 67-20 Main St. and refused to leave the location, according to another criminal complaint.
Rahmatullah’s next court date is March 24, a spokeswoman for the Queens DA said.
Reach reporter Madina Toure by e-mail at mtour
