A Long Island mother was brutally killed inside her Brentwood home this week, allegedly at the hands of her own son, leaving a tight-knit community in shock.
Melida Velasquez, 59, had just returned from a trip to El Salvador when she was stabbed to death Tuesday evening in the residence she shared with her son, according to Suffolk County police and neighbors.
Her home sits directly across from North Elementary School, where classes had ended only hours before the slaying.
Neighbors described the scene as horrifying. “They found her upstairs with knives, a bunch of knives sticking out of her and she’s dead,” one Brentwood resident told News 12 Long Island.
Authorities have charged Jason Kurumoglu, 33, with second-degree murder in connection with the killing. He is being held in Suffolk County District Court, where he is scheduled to be arraigned.
Velasquez’s church community mourned her loss in a heartfelt Facebook post, calling her a “beloved sister” who will be “deeply missed by her church family and all who knew her.”
Brentwood Superintendent of Schools Wanda Ortiz-Rivera issued a statement reassuring parents that the tragedy posed no threat to students.
“Please be assured that the incident is unrelated to the school, and all students and staff are safe,” she wrote. “The school remains open and operating on a normal schedule. We remain in contact with law enforcement and will provide updates if necessary.”
Community members say Velasquez’s death has shaken their normally quiet neighborhood.
“I’ve been here 20 years. We’ve never had anything like this,” one resident told Newsday. “I never thought something like this could happen.”
Police have not released a motive for the killing.
