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Oct. 8, 2020 By Michael Dorgan
A Queens man who allegedly stabbed his 45-year-old wife to death inside their Jackson Heights apartment has been indicted for murder.
Carmelo Mendoza, 41, allegedly killed Yaquelin Collado during the early hours of July 3 inside their 34th Road home after the pair got into a heated argument. He stabbed her multiple times in the chest, neck and torso, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office.
“This is the worst outcome of domestic violence, an argument that turned violent and deadly,” said Melinda Katz, Queens District Attorney.
“The defendant allegedly stabbed his wife more than two dozen times, as the victim’s 19-year-old daughter tried in vain to stop the brutal attack,” Katz said.
The couple had been arguing in the kitchen when the victim’s daughter heard her mother screaming and came from another room to help.
The 19-year-old discovered an enraged Mendoza stabbing her mother. She attempted to stop the attack by throwing objects at him and also tried to push him off of her, according to the charges.
Mendoza fell to the floor but got back up and continued to stab his wife. Collado then told her daughter in Spanish: “I’m dying, get out of here.”
Her daughter, who injured her leg as she tried to intervene, ran out of the apartment and began banging on her neighbors’ doors screaming for help.
The young woman then called 911 and when cops arrived she told them that Mendoza was still inside the apartment.
Inside, police found Mendoza on top of his wife who was lying in a pool of blood.
Mendoza allegedly stabbed himself numerous times in the abdomen, and cops found a kitchen knife nearby.
The couple were transferred to an area hospital where Collado was later pronounced dead. She had sustained around 27 knife wounds.
Mendoza was treated for self-inflicted wounds.
He was arraigned this afternoon on an indictment charging him with murder in the second degree, assault in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.
Supreme Court Justice Michael Aloise remanded Mendoza and set the return date for Nov. 17.
Mendoza faces up to 25 years-to-life in prison.
