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South Queens woman used a cleaver to hack her aunt to death in their home: DA

Photo via Shutterstock

A 30-year-old woman is now under arrest for allegedly murdering her aunt with a cleaver inside the south Queens home they shared last week.

Elizabeth Sanchez (aka Digna Sanchez-Ortiz) is charged with killing Maria Palaguachi, 50, at their home on 174th Street between 137th and 140th avenues in Rochdale on the morning of March 16.

According to Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, Sanchez attacked Palaguachi with a meat cleaver, striking her multiple times in the head, neck and shoulder.

Maria Palaguachi (photo via Facebook)

The motive for the attack is unknown and remains under investigation, police said. The New York Daily News reported that police had been called to the location multiple times in the past year for reported domestic disturbances.

Officers from the 113th Precinct were called to the scene and found Palaguachi’s bloodied body just after 11 a.m. on March 16. Responding EMS units pronounced hear dead at the scene. The cleaver was recovered.

Following an investigation by the 113th Precinct Detective Squad, Sanchez was taken into custody on charges of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon. She is presently awaiting arraignment in Queens Criminal Court.

Sanchez faces up to 25 years to life behind bars if convicted, Brown said.