Police identified the victim as 36-year-old Carlos Penzo and said no criminal charges had been announced by Sunday.
NEW YORK — Police are investigating the fatal stabbing of a 36-year-old man whose body was found Saturday inside an apartment at a luxury high-rise in Long Island City, Queens.
The New York Police Department identified the victim as Carlos Penzo. Officers found him unconscious and unresponsive with multiple stab wounds inside The Hayden, a residential tower at 43-25 Hunter St., shortly before 1 p.m. Aug. 1. Emergency medical workers pronounced him dead at the scene.
A man was taken into custody after building security workers reported unusual activity on the roof, according to law enforcement sources cited by the New York Post. Police considered him a person of interest as of Sunday, but authorities had not announced an arrest or filed charges in connection with Penzo’s death.
Security workers went to the roof after a fire alarm was activated and reportedly saw a naked man attempting to interfere with surveillance cameras, the Post reported. The man was also accused of using a fire extinguisher while trying to enter an apartment. Police detained him and then searched the apartment connected to the disturbance.
Investigators found Penzo in a bathroom with stab wounds to his head, face and chest, according to the newspaper’s law enforcement sources. Several weapons, including knives and a stun device, were recovered from the apartment. Police had not publicly said who owned the weapons or explained how they were connected to the killing.
The motive remained unknown. Authorities had not described the relationship, if any, between Penzo and the person being questioned. They also had not disclosed whether the apartment belonged to Penzo or another person, or whether investigators believed anyone else was involved.
The Hayden is a 51-story residential building in the Court Square section of Long Island City. The complex advertises amenities that include an attended lobby, fitness facilities, a basketball court and outdoor spaces. Apartment listings show some two-bedroom units renting for more than $6,000 a month.
The killing occurred within the NYPD’s 108th Precinct, which covers Long Island City, Sunnyside and Woodside. City crime data showed murders had declined during the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, though police continued to investigate several recent violent incidents across Queens.
The city medical examiner will determine Penzo’s official cause and manner of death. Police had not released additional information about the person of interest or announced charges as of Monday, and the homicide investigation remained active.
Author note: Last updated August 3, 2026.