A New York landlord, 43-year-old Omar Lamoni, and his half-brother, 39-year-old Edwin Nina, have been apprehended and charged in connection with the death of a tenant. The tenant, 30-year-old Kristopher Samaroo, was allegedly beaten to death with a baseball bat during a disagreement over the lack of hot water in his apartment.
The two suspects were arrested over the weekend and each charged with second-degree assault in relation to Samaroo’s death. Additional charges were brought against Lamoni for endangering the welfare of a child, while Nina faces an extra charge for criminal possession of a weapon.
The New York Police Department responded to a 911 call about an ongoing assault on Throgs Neck Expressway around 6:10 p.m. on Saturday. Upon arrival, first responders discovered Samaroo with severe injuries. He was rushed to Jacobi Medical Center but succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival.
According to the criminal complaint, the altercation began when Nina struck Samaroo, who was holding his 6-month-old daughter at the time. The punch nearly hit the child. Samaroo managed to hand the baby to his fiancee, Brittney Shears, before Lamoni allegedly joined Nina in the assault. Authorities report that Nina used a metal baseball bat to repeatedly strike Samaroo during the altercation.
The charges against Lamoni and Nina may be elevated pending the results of an autopsy. Bronx Assistant District Attorney Patrick Watts stated that the autopsy results could lead to higher-level felony charges, including homicide.
However, the defense attorney for Lamoni and Nina, Gary Maclena, argued that Samaroo and his fiancee were the aggressors in the dispute. He claimed that his clients did not use any weapons during the altercation. Surveillance footage of the incident was shown in court on Monday.
Maclena also alleged that Samaroo and Shears had been evicted in September but refused to leave the property. Shears countered that she and Samaroo had moved into the building in 2022 and had been without hot water for three months. She also stated that they had been making partial rent payments due to the lack of hot water.
Following their arrests, Lamoni was granted supervised release while Nina posted a $10,000 cash bond. Both men have pleaded not guilty to all charges and are prohibited from having any contact with Shears.