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QUEENS WEEKLY, JANUARY 26, 2020
Grand jury indicts Richmond Hill man in
death of 92-year-old Queens woman
BY BILL PARRY
A Queens grand jury
indicted a Richmond Hill
man on murder and sexual
abuse charges last week
in the vicious attack of a
92-year-old woman, according
to the Queens District
Attorney’s Office.
Maria Fuertes was walking
near her home just after
midnight on Jan. 6 when
Reeaz Khan, 21, allegedly
threw her to the ground, sexually
assaulted her, and then
fled the scene, according to
prosecutors.
Khan will be arraigned
before Queens Supreme
Court Justice Kenneth C.
Holder on Feb.4. If convicted,
Khan faces 25 years to life in
prison.
Khan was captured on
surveillance footage following
Fuertes as she walked
on 127th Avenue near Liberty
Avenue, when he allegedly
attacked her from behind
onto the sidewalk, according
to charges. The defendant
is alleged to have sexually
assaulted her, according
to an autopsy performed
by the medical examiner.
Khan was then observed
on surveillance video
sprinting away.
Queens District Attorney
Melinda Katz said the
victim was found by a passerby
who called 911 around
2:14 a.m. Fuertes was barely
conscious and incoherent
when she was transported
to a nearby hospital. She
sustained a fractured spine
in two places, two rib fractures,
bruising to her neck
and chest and other injuries.
She died as a result of those
injuries, according to Katz.
“A grand jury has taken
action indicting this defendant
to hold him accountable
for the horrible attack
of an elderly woman, who
was beloved in her neighborhood,”
Katz said. “The defendant
is accused of pouncing
on the 92-year-old woman
from behind, throwing her
to the ground and then sexually
assaulting her before he
ran from the scene. The victim
was discovered hours
later barely conscious, incoherent
and naked from the
waist down. The defendant
has been apprehended and
will be prosecuted for his alleged
heinous actions.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Bill
de Blasio is defending his
administration’s “sanctuary
city” policy after U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement
said Khan should
have been deported back in
November. ICE claims Khan
was here illegally from Guyana
when he was arrested by
the NYPD for the charges of
assault and criminal possession
of a weapon on Nov. 27 after
he allegedly cut his father
in the chest and arm with a
mug during an argument.
ICE Enforcement and
Removal Operations deportation
officers lodged
a detainer with the NYPD
but under city policy ICE
detainers are honored only
when the person has been
convicted of a “violent or
serious” crime within five
years of the arrest.
“It was a deadly choice
to release a man on an active
ICE detainer back on
to the streets after his first
arrest included assault and
weapons charges, and now
he faces new charges including
murder,” ERO New
York Field Office Director
Thomas R. Decker said Monday.
“Clearly the politicians
care more about criminal illegal
aliens than the citizens
they are elected to serve and
respect.”
QNS reached out to City
Hall and is awaiting a response.
During a groundbreaking
ceremony in Long
Island City, de Blasio spoke
to WCBS on the matter.
“I don’t know every fact
of what happened before,
but I know something fundamental.
We believe that it is
right to hold the standard. If
someone is convicted of one
of those crimes, they’re out
of here. It’s as simple as that,”
de Blasio said. “If someone
is accused of a crime, they
still, of course, have a right
to trial.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone
at (718) 260–4538.
Richmond Hill resident Reeaz Khan (c.) was indicted on murder and sexual abuse charges in
the death of a 92-year-old woman. Photo by Robert Stridiron
Rich Hill sisters donate locks of hair to local
nonprofit organization to help those in need
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Councilwoman Adrienne Adams
hosted a hair donation event
on Jan. 10, where local young residents
donated their locks and received
free haircuts and styling
from Aracelis Unisex Hair Salon
in Richmond Hill.
Each person donated their
locks to the local nonprofit organization
Butterflies By Blaq,
which provides high-quality wigs
to children with medical conditions.
The organization was formed
in 2012 by Erna Blackman to assist
children coping with hair
loss. Blackman is a former volunteer
at the American Cancer Society
as a wig stylist and wanted to
expand on their work.
Saaya Kanhoye donated 14
inches of her hair and her sister,
Shaila Kanhoye, donated 35 inches
of her locks.
“I am humbled and pleased to
hold this hair donation event supporting
the work of our Butterflies
By Blaq providing critical
help to young people and inspiring
hope within our communities,”
Adams said. “This cause
is both meaningful and relevant
to so many lives. The impact of
this contribution will reach many
young cancer patients and help
them to bravely face the next part
of their journey.”
Blackman said hair donors like
the Kanhoye sisters are important
to the organization because longer
hair donations are the building
blocks of wig creation.
“Most of the girls that request
our services now want longer
hair. Although we accept and are
grateful for 10 inches, the desired
lengths are 12 inches or more,”
Blackman said. “Shaila and Saaya
surpassed that which will make it
easier for our partners to create
the wigs upon receipt of the hair.
We love it when we meet young
people who feel the need to give
back. People helping people makes
the world a better place.”
Sherry Algredo from Queens
Community Board 9 said, “It’s
these humble acts of generosity
that really matters. May God bless
those who donate so selflessly. The
end result is nothing but joy.”
Reach reporter Carlotta Mohamed
by e-mail at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.com or by phone at
(718) 260–4526.
Saaya Kanhoye (l.) donated 14 inches of her hair and her sister,
Shaila Kanhoye, donated 35 inches of her locks to Butterflies by
Blaq. Photo courtesy of Councilwoman Adrienne Adams office
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