NEW YORK, NY – A man who brutally attacked an Asian grandma while she was sweeping her sidewalk and street has been indicted by a Queens grand jury. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Elisaul Perez, 33, has been indicted on murder and manslaughter charges, in addition to earlier filed charges of assault and criminal possession of a weapon in the November 2021 Thanksgiving weekend attack of 61-year-old Guiying Ma.
District Attorney Katz said, “The charges against the defendant have been elevated to murder. The entire community has been in mourning over the brutal attack that took the life of Guiying Ma, who immigrated to this country in hopes of being able to provide for her family. After sustaining traumatic brain injuries and attempts at life-saving surgical intervention, sadly Mrs. Ma died from complications from those inflicted injuries. We are committed to remaining vigilant at every stage of a case to help ensure justice for victims and family members.”
According to Katz, Perez, of Blake Avenue, in Brooklyn, was initially indicted on charges of assault in the first degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. After Mrs. Ma’s death a Queens grand jury returned two additional charges of murder in the second degree and manslaughter in the first degree. If convicted, Perez faces 25 years to life in prison.
District Attorney Katz said that, according to the charges, on November 26, 2021, the victim was observed sweeping the sidewalk and street area at approximately 8 a.m. in front of 38th Avenue near 97th Street. Moments later, as captured on video surveillance, the defendant allegedly picked up a chunk of concrete and struck Mrs. Ma in the head and after she fell to the ground, struck her a second time.
“The victim was taken to a local hospital where she underwent emergency surgery for severe head trauma and brain injuries. Mrs. Ma never recovered and, after a three-month hospitalization, died from complications from her injuries,” Katz said.