Aide and Patient Slain in East Harlem
Police say two victims were bound and shot in the head during a possible robbery at a Manhattan apartment.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
Two people were found dead in their hands bound with an extension cord and shot in the head inside an East Harlem apartment on Nov. 5. The victims were a home health aide and the senior man she cared for.
Detectives believe the killings were a possible robbery attempt that went wrong. They are asking the public to identify anyone who saw 55-year-old Elsa Espina-Espinal and 66-year-old Wilgen Elias Severino-Tatis before the incident.
The bodies were discovered at 2029 2nd Ave. at some point before 8:34 p.m. on Nov. 5. Police sources indicated that Espina-Espinal had not reported to her evening shift. Her employer called her son to ask why she was late. The son did not know where she was.
The son contacted a neighbor of Severino-Tatis, who also provided care to the resident. The neighbor entered the home and found the door unlocked. Inside, Severino-Tatis lay on a bed in the living room. He had been shot in the forehead, and his hands were tied with an extension cord. Espina-Espinal was found nearby. She also had a fatal gunshot wound to the head. An extension cord was wrapped around her left wrist, though her hands were not fully bound.
Sources told amNewYork that detectives are probing whether one or several suspects intended to rob Severino-Tatis. The theory is that the worker interrupted the crime, leading to her execution. Espina-Espinal provided regular care to Severino-Tatis and other residents at the 2nd Avenue location.
No arrests have been made. The 23rd Precinct is continuing its investigation. The Crime Stoppers unit is accepting tips at 800-577-TIPS in English and 888-57-PISTA in Spanish. Citizens can also submit information online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on X at @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
