A 70-year-old Queens father was allegedly stabbed to death Wednesday morning — allegedly by his own daughter, police and neighbors said.
According to police sources, 70-year-old Peter Cavak was found dead with numerous stab wounds at around 7:16 a.m. on June 5 inside a bedroom at a home on the 11400 block of 109th Avenue in South Ozone Park section.
Law enforcement sources said the victim’s 30-year-old unnamed daughter was taken into custody for questioning after being located in New Jersey. Officers from the 106th Precinct responded to the incident.
The brutal slaying sent shockwaves through the residential neighborhood. The victim, known to neighbors as Pete, told amNewYork Metro that he was a retired MTA bus driver who spent his life savings on the daughter who allegedly took his life.
“He was a nice guy, a workaholic, loved his daughter — he was just getting ready to buy her a third car!” said 66-year-old Wilson, who lived next door to Peter for over two decades. “He paid for her college, he paid for everything!”
Wilson also reported that the home was no stranger to tragedy. Cavak, who lived at the home with his daughter and wife, lost his other daughter and her boyfriend who both lost their lives previously, according to Wilson.
“The deaths changed the mother,” Wilson said. “She retreated. She is not sociable.”
Despite the loss, a 29-year-old female neighbor who lives across the street, but did not want to provide her name, told amNewYork Metro that she grew up around Cavak and likewise spoke of his kindness.
“I knew him growing up, he always used to say hi — very friendly interactions,” the neighbor said, noting that she had spoken to his daughter since she was a child. “His daughter wasn’t that much older than me, maybe only one or two years.”
Locals say Cavak would often have lunch with another senior, and when that individual learned of the death, the neighbor was overcome with emotion.
“He cried for like ten minutes. He is an old man, he didn’t have anyone else,” another neighbor said.
Bibi, who lives just down the block, says she is left in shock. Although she did not know the family well, she says she would often see them in the summer sitting on the steps chatting.
“We are all shocked this happened. The police locked down this whole block this morning,” Bibi said.
Charges are pending the results of the ongoing investigation.
