The Bronx tenant who was allegedly beaten to death by his landlord and brother over the weekend was attacked over a rent dispute while the victim held a 2-month-old baby, police reported.
According to authorities, 43-year-old Omar Lamoni and his half-brother, 39-year-old Edwin Nina, allegedly confronted 30-year-old Kristopher Samaroo outside of his home on the Throggs Neck Expressway service road near Layton Avenue in Throggs Neck at approximately 6:10 p.m. on Nov. 30.
Lamoni was purportedly enraged over Samaroo’s failure to pay him back rent and confronted him as he left the home, sources familiar with the case said.
Cops reported Lamoni punched his tenant as the victim clung to his two-month-old child, though the tot was unharmed. Police said Nina allegedly took a baseball bat to Samaroo, ruthlessly beating the father mere feet from the baby and his distraught wife.
The victim’s wife frantically dialed 911, sending officers from the 45th Precinct racing to the scene. Police found Samaroo with severe trauma across his body. EMS rushed him to Jacobi Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Officers later apprehended both suspects. Lamoni has been charged with assault and endangering the welfare of a child, while Nina is charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon.
Sources familiar with the investigation report that homicide charges are pending based on a final report from the Medical Examiner’s office on the cause of Samaroo’s death.
