A Bronx man was indicted by a grand jury on murder charges in the August stabbing death of a 65-year-old Jackson Height lawyer, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Nando Perez, 64, was arraigned Thursday, Sept. 2, before Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant on an indictment charging him with murder in the second degree and possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, and if he is convicted he faces up to 25 years-to-life in prison.
According to the charges, sometime after 4:20 p.m. Aug. 4, Perez entered the law office of Charles Zolot on 82nd Street near 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights. Perez, of East 165th Street in the Bronx — who had once been a client — allegedly attacked Zolot in the second floor conference room, stabbing him approximately 20 times before fleeing the scene.
The attorney’s body was discovered the following morning. Perez was arrested the following Monday after an investigation by detectives from the 115th Precinct and Queens North.
“This was a brutal killing that stunned the community,” Katz said. “The victim was found dead inside his Jackson Heights office with multiple stab wounds and a former client is accused of settling a disagreement with violence.”
Justice Pandit-Durant continued to hold Perez without bail and ordered him to return to court on Oct. 12.
