A South Jamaica man was charged with murder in the fatal machete attack on his own nephew who lived in the basement of his home, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Mahadeo Sukhnandan, 50, was arraigned Monday afternoon before Queens Criminal Court Judge Diego Friere on a complaint charging him with murder and criminal possession of a weapon in the brutal slaying in which he is accused of repeatedly hacking and slashing the victim to death.
According to the charges, at around 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 12, Sukhnandan became embroiled in an argument with Neraz Roberts, 29, his nephew who was renting a basement apartment in his home on the 8800 block of 187th Place in South Jamaica.
The defendant allegedly used a machete to strike his nephew multiple times. Officers from the 103rd Precinct responded and found Roberts, who suffered wounds on his back and neck and sustained other injuries. EMS pronounced Roberts dead at the scene.
“As alleged, the defendant brutally attacked the victim, who was his nephew, during the course of a heated argument inside the home that they shared,” Katz said. “Sadly, the victim died as a result of the severe injuries. Violence should never be used as a response to an argument. The defendant is now in custody and faces justice in our courts.”
Judge Friere ordered Sukhnandan to return to court on June 17. If convicted, Sukhnandan faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
