EAST HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) — Two people were found dead with gunshot wounds inside an East Harlem apartment Thursday night in what police believe was a double homicide.
Police responded to the Gaylord White Houses on East 104th Street and Second Avenue around 8:30 p.m. Thursday to conduct a wellness check after the son of 55-year-old home health aide Elsa Espina reported that she had not shown up to her next job.
When officers arrived at the unlocked apartment, they found Elias Severino, 66, and Espina dead, possibly having been deceased for some time.
Severino, who had cancer, was found tied up with a gunshot wound to the head. Doctors later determined that Espina, a Bronx resident, also had been shot in the head.
No gun was found inside the apartment, leading investigators to believe the deaths were the result of a double homicide.
Residents of the housing complex expressed shock over the killings.
“To wake up and come down and say Elias is dead, is too much,” one resident said.
Another resident, Cindy Rosa, said, “I saw him the day before yesterday, he usually comes and sits over and then I come and accompany him… we sit and we laugh, I bother him for a cigarette, I’m still overwhelmed.”
Neighbor Josephina Rosado reacted to the news by saying, “Oh my God that’s a shame, how are they gonna kill a person like that.”
As police continued their investigation Friday, residents said they were concerned that someone had been able to enter the building with a gun despite the presence of overnight security.
A building manager sought to reassure tenants.
“We don’t have trouble in this building, this is something that we’re working on. We’re going to pay close attention to the integrity of the rest of our tenants and just provide as much support as we can. Get as much information as we can and just keep the rest of this building safe and just try to work more on that as well,” said Shameya Muniz of building management.
Police had not announced any arrests or identified a suspect as of Friday.
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