Photos Courtesy of NYPD
Yonatan Galvez-Marin has been charged in what DA Brown has called a “senseless murder.”
By Michael V. Cusenza
A Jamaica man has been charged with the Aug. 31 murder of a 60yearold Bangladeshi immigrant whose nephew is a City cop.
Yonatan Galvez-Marin, 22, was arraigned on Sunday on a complaint charging him with two counts of second-degree murder, first-degree attempted robbery, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was ordered held without bail and to return to court on Sept. 9.
If convicted, Galvez-Marin faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said that, according to the charges, last Wednesday at approximately 9:15 p.m., the victim, Nazma Khanam, 60, of Jamaica Hills, was walking down Normal Road just steps ahead of her husband, MD Shamul Alam Khan, 67, when Galvez-Marin approached her and demanded money. After Khanam refused, Galvez-Marin allegedly stabbed her in her torso once and fled.
According to the complaint, Galvez-Marin confessed to stabbing Khanam, who was rushed to a borough hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Galvez-Marin was apprehended three days later by NYPD detectives, Brown noted, near the Normal Road crime scene as they conducted their investigation.
The murder comes less than three weeks after a Bangladeshi imam and his assistant were gunned down in broad daylight on Liberty Avenue in Ozone Park. An arrest has been made in that case as well.
“Sadly, the Bangladeshi community once again finds itself having to deal with the senseless murder of one of its own,” Brown said. “The individual who attempted to rob and attack this defenseless wife and mother as she walked down the street has now been apprehended and will be vigorously prosecuted for this unprovoked and heinous attack.”
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) thanked the NYPD for the quick arrest, adding, “The stabbing death of Nazma Khanam is horrifying, disgusting and all New Yorkers must condemn this heinous crime. It is outrageous and unacceptable that another member of the Queens Muslim community has been murdered, just three weeks after an imam and his assistant were shot to death in the borough.
The coward who committed this despicable crime must and will face justice. The Khanam family remains in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time, and we continue to stand with the Bangladeshi and Muslim community. This senseless violence has got to end!”
Borough President Melinda Katz said, in part, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Nazma Khanam, who was senselessly murdered on Wednesday while she was walking home on Normal Road in Jamaica Hills while wearing traditional Muslim dress. The aunt of an NYPD officer, Mrs. Khanam was a dedicated schoolteacher in her native Bangladesh and continued to work hard at the Jamaica souvenir shop she operated with her husband.”
