A 66-year-old East Harlem man and his 55-year-old home health aide were fatally shot in the head and bound with an electrical cord last week in what investigators suspect was a robbery that turned deadly, police and sources said.
Wilgen Elias Severino-Tatis and his attendant, Elsa Espina-Espinal, were found bound and dead inside the NYCHA Gaylord White Houses on Second Avenue near East 104th Street at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday, police said.
Severino-Tatis lived in the building and was alone in his apartment when intruders entered, according to law enforcement sources. Espina-Espinal had briefly left to go to the store for him.
When the home health aide returned, she walked in on the violent robbery and was also attacked, the sources said.
Espina-Espinal’s son requested a wellness check after his mother, a Bronx resident who served several clients in the building, failed to appear for her night shift, the sources said.
Both victims had suffered fatal gunshot wounds and were bound with an electrical cord, according to the sources.
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Authorities pronounced them dead at the scene.
Investigators had no suspect information available Monday as they continued probing the deadly robbery, which sources said appeared to be a crime of opportunity.
Severino-Tatis appeared to have been the intended target, according to the sources.
The NYPD released photos of both victims Monday and appealed to anyone who saw them before their deaths or has information about the killings to come forward.
Anyone with information about the slayings is asked to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). Spanish-speaking callers can reach 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
Tips can also be submitted through the Crime Stoppers website or on X at @NYPDTips.
