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Queens woman killed with meat cleaver, niece charged, DA says

A woman was charged Saturday in the killing of her aunt with a meat cleaver in Queens, the DA’s office said.

Maria Palaguachi, 50, was found unconscious with stab wounds on Thursday, March 16, 2017, at about 11 a.m. inside the Rochdale home she shared with her niece, cops said. She was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Her niece, identified as Elizabeth Sanchez, 30, was later arrested and charged with second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Sanchez was being held pending arraignment at the Queens Criminal Court.

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said Saturday that the weapon Sanchez used to stab her aunt was a meat cleaver.

“The defendant now faces a lengthy time behind bars for her alleged actions,” he said in a statement.

 

With Dana Reszutek